GB2394668A

GB2394668A - Device for connecting compartments in a urostomy pouch

Info

Publication number: GB2394668A
Application number: GB0225574A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Joseph Gaffney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-11-02
Filing date: 2002-11-02
Publication date: 2004-05-05
Also published as: GB0225574D0

Abstract

A urostomy pouch comprises an upper compartment 24 and a lower compartment 26 interconnected by drain holes 30, an entry hole 42 in a backplate 40 giving access to the upper compartment 24, a cup 11 located in the upper compartment at the entry hole and at least one tube passing from the cup 11 in the upper compartment 24 to the lower compartment 26 through drain holes 30. The cup may be a separate component or it may be integral with the backplate, in the form of a tubular extension (50 fig 6). The tubes resist collapse or kinking in use and may be secured in holes or indentations in the cup (54,58 figs 7 and 8). A rounded extension (60 fig 5) may be provided at the top of an adhesive backing of the backplate.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO A UROSTOMY POUCH

5 This invention is concerned with improvements in and relating to a urostomy pouch, and in particular is concerned with a device for use with, or incorporated in, a urostomy pouch. The simplest or one piece form of urostomy pouch consists of a plastics bag which is 10 divided into an upper compartment and a lower compartment which are separated by a wall or seam, the wall having two small drain holes in it to allow urine to pass from the upper compartment to the lower. The lower compartment has a drain tube with a removable plug to allow the pouch to be emptied. The upper compartment has in one wall an opening surrounded by a backplate comprising a flange, which is sealed to the outside ofthe wall, and 15 a boss which extends away from the pouch and defines a central entry hole. The outer surface of the back plate has an adhesive coating which, prior to use of the pouch, is protected by a peel away plastics cover. The back plate is also provided with a pair of eyes to which a belt may be attached.

20 The pouch is used by patients who, because of severe problems with their urinary system, have been fitted with a stoma in their lower abdomen, typically a few centimetres below their navel, through which they pass urine. In use, the protective cover is removed from the outer surface of the backplate, the stoma is located in the entry hole, the backplate is then pressed onto the patient's skin to adhere thereto and provide a seal around the stoma.

25 A belt passing round the patient's body and attached to the eyes further secures the pouch in position. When the patient then passes urine, the urine then flows into the upper compartment from which it drains through the drain holes into the lower compartment.

-2 In a slightly more complicated two piece form of pouch the backplate is removably 5 clipped onto a sealing ring which is in turn sealed to the wall ofthe pouch. While the use of this two piece pouch is substantially the same as previously described, there is a significant difference in that the internal diameter of the sealing ring, normally about 2.5 cm is about twice that of the entry hole in the boss.

10 The major problem for patients is leakage which tends to occur around the entry hole in the backplate and at the drain tube in the lower compartment, and in the case of the two piece pouch between the sealing ring and the back plate. When using the one or two piece pouches patients find that when sitting in an upright position the pouch is sometimes trapped between the natural skin folds ofthe body. In addition, the tightness of undergarments, waist 15 bands or seat belts etc., on the patient, can cause the pouch either to fold to the extent that the urine stays mainly in the top half of the pouch or to be compressed so that the two compartments are isolated. With continued drainage of urine from the stoma, pressure is built up in the urine to force it from the upper compartment out between the patient's skin and the back plate seal, or from the lower compartment out at the plug in the drain tube. Also, with 20 the two piece pouch urine can be forced out between the sealing ring and the backplate.

An additional problem is that even a slight amount of urine in the pouch can cause the front wall of the pouch to be drawn onto the stoma causing a slight constriction in the flow of urine.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these problems.

-3 The present invention is a device for use with a urostomy pouch, the device 5 comprising at least one tube and means for supporting the or each tube in a urostomy pouch so that the or each tube passes from an upper compartment in the pouch to a lower compartment. The present invention is also a device as defined in the last preceding paragraph in 10 combination with a urostomy pouch having an upper compartment and a lower compartment interconnected by drain holes, an entry hole in a backplate giving access to the upper compartment, the or each tube passing from the upper compartment to the lower compartment. 15 Preferably there are two tubes The means for supporting the or each tube may comprise a cup having a lip and a hole at the lower portion of the lip.

20 The means for supporting the or each tube may comprise a tubular extension on the inner side of the backplate, the extension having a hole at the bottom thereof The means for supporting the or each tube may include a hole for securing the end of each tube.

The hole may be a cutout at the end of the tubular extension into which the end of a tube may be pressed.

-4 An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example 5 with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a device according to the present invention; Fig 2 is a side elevation of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic elevation of the device of Figs l and 2 in a two piece 10 urostomy pouch; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side view corresponding to Fig. 3; Fig.5 is a diagrammatic elevation of a one piece urostomy pouch incorporating the present invention; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side view corresponding to Fig. 5; and 15 Figs 7 and 8 are cross-sections through two backplates modified according to the present invention for use in the pouch of Figs. 5 and 6.

in Figs 1 and 2 is shown a device l O according to the present invention for use in a two piece urostomy pouch. The device 10 is essentially a cup l l having a rim 12, a hole 14 et the 20 bottom of the rim, and a pair of tubes 16 communicating with the interior of the device and extending down from the cup. The tubes 16 are strong enough to resist collapse or kinking in normal use.

The device 10 is used with a urostomy pouch 20 as seen in Figs 3 and 4. The pouch 25 20 comprises a thin plastics bag 22 divided into two compartments, an upper one 24 and a lower one 26, by an internal wall or seam 28 in which are provided two drain holes 30. A drain tube 32 with a removable plug (not shown) is provided at the bottom Blithe lower

-5 compartment 26. The upper compartment has a sealing ring/backplate combination 40, the 5 backplate having an entry hole 42 for accepting a stoma 44 and allowing urine to pass from the stoma into the upper compartment 24.

As the pouch is a two piece one, the backplate can be removed from the sealing ring to leave a hole big enough to allow the device 10 to be located in the pouch. This is done by 10 inserting the two tubes 16 through the sealing ring into the upper compartment 24 and then passing them down through the drain holes 30 until the cup can enter the upper compartment 24. The backplate can then 40 can then be secured to the sealing ring so that the rim 12 is adjacent the backplate. The pouch is then ready for use as seen in Fig. 4.

15 The tubes 16, as indicated above, are sufficiently strong to keep open at all times during normal use so that any pressure applied to either compartment will cause urine to flow through the tubes to the other compartment, i.e. the pressure is relieved before it can rise to a level at which leakage occurs.

20 The cup 11 functions mainly as a means for supporting the tubes and keeping them in their proper positions, but it does have the additional advantage of keeping the front wall 46 of the pouch clear of the stoma, thus minimising the problem of the reduction of the flow of urine. The cup also reduces the tendency of waistbands or seatbelts to drag down the seal between the backplate and the patent.

The device 10 may be modified in terms of the shape of the cup and of the hole 14.

-6 The device 10 cannot be used with a single piece pouch because of the restricted 5 access at the entry hole for the stoma, but the backplate can be modified as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in which the same reference numerals as used in Figs 3 and 4 denote the same parts.

In Figs. 5 and 6, the backplate is provided with a tubular extension 50 on its inner side, this extension acting as a support for the tubes 16 and having a hole 52 at the bottom to ensure that urine can pass into the upper compartment even when the front wall 46 ofthe pouch is located 10 or pressed against the inner end of the extension 50.

In Figs 7 and 8 are shown two possible designs of the backplate extension 50. In Fig 7 the ends of the tubes 16 pass through holes 54, whereas in Fig. 8 the holes are formed as indentations 58 in the end of the extension 50, the ends of the tubes 16 being pressed into the 15 indentations 58.

Two tubes are not essential and a single tube 16 could be used.

The adhesive backing of the backplate could also be modified as shown in Fig. 5 to 20 provide a rounded extension 60 at the top. This extra adhesive area at the top of the seal makes the seal less vulnerable to the shear forces caused by the weight ofthe pouch and urine, or by downward drag caused by clothing.

Claims

-7 CLAIMS

5 1. A device for use with a urostomy pouch, the device comprising at least one tube and means for supporting the or each tube in a urostomy pouch so that the or each tube passes from an upper compartment in the pouch to a lower compartment.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which there are two tubes 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the means for supporting the or each tube comprises a cup having a lip and a hole at the lower portion of the lip.

4. A urostomy pouch comprising a device as claimed in any preceding claim, an upper 15 compartment and a lower compartment interconnected by drain holes, and an entry hole in a backplate giving access to the upper compartment, the or each tube passing from the upper compartment to the lower compartment.

5. A urostomy pouch as claimed in claim 4 when independent of claim 3, in which the 20 means for supporting the or each tube comprises a tubular extension on the inner side of the backplate, the extension having a hole at the bottom thereof 6. A urostomy pouch as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, in which the means for supporting the or each tube includes a hole for securing the end of each tube.

-8 7. A urostomy pouch a,6 claimed in claim 6 when dependent on claim 5, in which the 5 hole is a cutout at thy end of the tubular extension into which the end of a tube may be pressed.

8 A urostomy pouch substantially as hereinbefore described Itch. reframe to Ed as shown in the accompanying drawings.