GB2322302A - Ostomy coupling - Google Patents

Abstract

An ostomy pouch coupling 10 for connecting an ostomy pouch 11 to the stoma S of a patient P comprises a plurality of apertured sheets of paper or plastics film 16a-16n adhered in face-to-face contact by respective layers 17b-17n of a differential adhesive. The innermost sheet 16a is adhered in face-to-face contact with the front surface of an apertured substrate sheet 13 by another layer 16a of differential adhesive. A layer 15 of hydro-colloid adhesive is disposed on the outer surface of the substrate 13 for semi-permanently adhering the coupling 10 to the skin K surrounding a patient's stoma S. In use an ostomy bag 11, having a layer 20 of adhesive disposed around its opening 12, is adhered to the front surface of the outermost sheet eg. 16n. Once the bag 11 is full, the layer 17n of differential adhesive allows the sheet 16n to be detached from the adjacent sheet of the coupling 10, together with the full bag 11. A fresh bag can then be adhered directly to the next sheet of the coupling.

Description

Ostomy This invention relates to ostomy.

Ostomy pouches are well known for attaching over the opening or so-called stoma of patients who have had a Colostomy, Ileostomy or Urostomy operation. Ostomy pouches comprise an opening which is sealingly attached in registration with the stoma by means of a coupling device.

Hitherto, ostomy pouches have comprised one of three different types of coupling device. A common ostomy coupling merely comprises an adhesive collar, which is permanently attached to the pouch around the opening therein. In use, the backing sheet is removed from the collar, before it is adhered in registration with the stoma. The adhesive is a so-called hydro-colloid which is designed to adhere strongly to the skin for a predetermined time period, which is calculated to coincide with the typical amount of time that a pouch takes to fill. The hydro-colloid loses some of its adhesion after this time period has elapsed, so that the pouch can be removed without damaging the skin.

A disadvantage of this one-piece type of ostomy pouch is that the skin to which the collar is adhered may become irritated and sore as the collar is repeatedly removed.

Furthermore, because the pouches are difficult to remove until the above-mentioned time period has elapsed, patients cannot remove their pouch prematurely without seriously damaging their skin.

It has been proposed to overcome this problem by providing a two-piece pouch which comprises a flange or base plate that is attached to the skin around the stoma with a hydro-colloid that is designed to last several days. The ostomy pouch comprises a plastics ring which sealingly mechanically engages with a corresponding plastics ring on the base plate. Thus, it is possible to change the pouch without having to pull an adhesive collar away from the skin.

A disadvantage of such two-part ostomy pouches is that it is difficult to mechanically engage the ring on the pouch with the ring on the base plate, and often a great deal of pressure has to be applied around the stoma to ensure a good seal.

It has been proposed to overcome this problem by providing a two-piece pouch which comprises a base plate instead of a mechanical coupling. The pouch also comprises an adhesive collar around its opening which releasably adheres to the base plate. The pouch can be removed simply by pulling the pouch away from the base plate.

Another disadvantage of such base plates is that liquid matter may spill onto the exposed base plate when the pouch is removed, necessitating cleaning the area before a new pouch may be applied.

We have now devised an ostomy pouch coupling which alleviates the above-mentioned problems.

In accordance with this invention there is provided an ostomy pouch coupling comprising a plurality of apertured plates adhered in face-to-face contact by respective inner adhesive layers, the innermost plate being adhered in face-toface contact with the front surface of an apertured substrate layer having an outer adhesive layer disposed on its rear surface, the inner adhesive layers being releasable such that the apertured plates can be removed sequentially from the coupling.

In use, the apertured substrate layer is attached over the patients stoma by applying the outer adhesive layer to the patient's skin. An ostomy pouch is then adhered to the outermost removable plate, such that the opening in the pouch is in registration with the aperture in the plate.

When the pouch is full, it can be removed by separating the outermost plate from the rest of the coupling. The pouch and plate are then discarded. A new pouch is then adhered to the next plate in the coupling. This process is repeated until the final pouch is adhered directly to the substrate layer.

The coupling is only removed from the skin once the final pouch is filled. The soreness problems associated with conventional one-piece pouches are avoided because adhesive does not have to be pulled away from the skin each time a pouch is changed.

The problems associated with conventional mechanicaltype two-piece couplings are avoided because the pouches are adhered to the coupling. Furthermore, the problems associated with conventional non-mechanical two-piece couplings are avoided because a fresh plate is presented each time a pouch is changed.

Preferably the inner adhesive layers comprise a differential release adhesive, which is arranged to adhere more strongly on one side than it does on its other side, such that the plates separate in an identical manner and such that the separated adhesive layer remains intact.

Preferably the differential release adhesive layers are arranged to more permanently adhere to the rear surface of each plate, so that when each plate is removed the adhesive on its rear surface is removed also. Thus, the outwardly facing surfaces of the coupling to which the pouches are adhered are adhesive free, presenting a clean, dry surface to receive a new pouch.

Preferably the outer adhesive layer comprises a hydrocolloid, which is preferably designed to last n times the standard time between pouch changes, wherein n equals the number of plates plus one.

Preferably the coupling is flexible, the plates and the substrate each preferably being less than 1 millimetre thick.

Preferably the plates and the substrate are formed of the same material, which preferably comprises paper and/or plastics film.

Preferably the plates comprise an edge region which is free of adhesive and which acts as a tab for removing the plates.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a sectional view through an ostomy pouch coupling in accordance with this invention, when in use; and FIGURE 2 is a sectional view through the ostomy pouch coupling of Figure 1, when changing the ostomy pouch.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown an ostomy pouch coupling 10 for connecting an ostomy pouch 11 to the stoma S of a patient P. The pouch 11 comprises a sealed or sealable impermeable envelope of paper and/or plastics material having an opening 12 through which matter from the stoma S can enter the pouch.

The ostomy pouch coupling 10 comprises a paper or plastics substrate 13 having an aperture 14 in its centre, which fits over the stoma S. A hydro-colloid adhesive layer 15 is disposed on the rear surface of the substrate 13. A removable protective backing sheet (not shown) covers the hydro-colloid layer 15, however this is removed prior to adhering the layer 15 to the patient's skin K.

The front surface of the substrate layer 13 is adhered in face-to-face contact with a layer 16a of a removable film of the same material as the substrate. The layers 13, 16a are bonded together by a layer 17a of a differential release adhesive, which is permanently adhered to the rear surface of the removable film layer 16a, but which is peelable away from the front surface of the substrate layer 13.

The front surface of the removable film layer 16a is adhered in face-to-face contact with the rear surface of a second removable film layer 16b by a layer 17b of differential release adhesive, which is permanently adhered to the rear surface of the second removable film layer 16b, but which is peelable away from the front surface of the first removable film layer 16a.

The coupling comprises a plurality of subsequent removable film layers e.g. 16n, each adhered to the preceding layer by a layer 17n of a differential release adhesive. The layers 16 of removable film and the substrate 13 are preferably less than d millimetre in thickness, so that the coupling can comprise a large number of layers without being obtrusive.

The ostomy pouch 11 comprises an adhesive collar 20 around its opening 12. The ostomy pouch 11 is supplied with the collar 20 adhered to a removable protective layer (not shown). In use, this protective layer is removed, and then the collar 20 is adhered in face-to-face contact with the outwardly facing front surface of the outermost layer 16n of removable film.

Each of the layers 16,17 has an aperture which is in registration with the aperture 14 in the substrate layer 13, and the pouch 11 is adhered to the coupling such that its opening 12 is in registration with these apertures. Bodily waste from the stoma S passes through the coupling and into the pouch 11.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, when the pouch 11 becomes full it can be removed by grasping a tab 21, which is provided on the outermost layer 16n of removable film, and separating the layer 16n from the preceding removable layer of film. It will be appreciated that the outermost layer 16n of film remains adhered to the ostomy pouch 11, with its adhesive layer 17n facing outwardly. The pouch 11 is then folded along a line which extends intermediate opposite edges of the layer of film 16n, such that the adhesive layer 17n adheres to itself and forms a seal around the opening 12 in the pouch 11. The pouch 11 is then disposed of in the usual manner.

New pouches are then adhered to the exposed front surface subsequent removable layers 16 of film in the coupling 11, in the same manner as hereinbefore described until all of the layers 16 have been used, whereupon the final pouch 11 is adhered directly to the substrate layer 13. Once the last pouch is full, the whole coupling is removed by separating the hydro-colloid layer 15 from the skin K.

It will be appreciated that a coupling in accordance with this invention considerably reduces soreness and irritation around the stoma, because the pouches do not have to be separated from the skin each time that they are changed.

This invention combines the skin protecting qualities of present mechanical two-piece systems without the associated mechanical difficulties whilst providing a degree of flexibility until now only associated with one-piece systems.

Claims (11)

Claims

1) An ostomy pouch coupling comprising a plurality of apertured plates adhered in face-to-face contact by respective inner adhesive layers, the innermost plate being adhered in face-to-face contact with the front surface of an apertured substrate layer having an outer adhesive layer disposed on its rear surface, the inner adhesive layers being releasable such that the apertured plates can be removed sequentially from the coupling.

2) An ostomy pouch coupling as claimed in claim 1, in which the inner adhesive layers comprise a differential release adhesive.

3) An ostomy pouch coupling as claimed in claim 2, in which the differential release adhesive layers are arranged to more permanently adhere to the rear surface of each plate.

4) An ostomy pouch coupling as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the outer adhesive layer of the substrate layer comprises a hydro-colloid.

5) An ostomy pouch coupling as claimed in any preceding claim, which is flexible.

6) An ostomy pouch coupling as claimed in claim 5, in which the plates and the substrate are each less than 1 millimetre thick.

7) An ostomy pouch coupling as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the plates and the substrate are formed of the same material.

8) An ostomy pouch coupling as claimed in claim 7, in which the plates and substrate are formed of paper.

9) An ostomy pouch coupling as claimed in claim 7, in which the plates and substrate are formed of plastics film.

10) An ostomy pouch coupling as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the plates comprise an edge region which is free of adhesive and which acts as a tab for removing the plates.

11) An ostomy pouch coupling substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.