GB2426197A

GB2426197A - Drainable ostomy bag with gas filter

Info

Publication number: GB2426197A
Application number: GB0504651A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neil Philip Wiltshire
Original assignee: Salts Healthcare Ltd
Current assignee: Salts Healthcare Ltd
Priority date: 2005-03-05
Filing date: 2005-03-05
Publication date: 2006-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-05
Also published as: GB2426197B; GB0504651D0

Abstract

A drainable ostomy bag is has a top and bottom and includes first 12 and second 14 walls connected to each other at or near their peripheries to form a first chamber which narrows to form a drainage passage and a drainage opening at the bottom 25. The first wall 12 has a stoma-receiving opening, 20, and the bag further includes a partial wall 16 provided adjacent an upper part of the second wall and connected at or near its periphery to the second wall to provide a second chamber which is closed at the bottom. A first gas vent 28 is provided in the second wall to allow passage of gas between the first and second chambers, and a second gas vent 30, including a gas filter is provided in the partial wall.

Description

1 2426197 Title: Ostomy Bag scriDtion of Invention This invention relates

to an ostomy bag, and in particular to an ostomy bag having a gas filter.

According to the present invention there is provided a drainable ostomy bag having a top and bottom and including:- first and second walls connected to each other at or near their peripheries to form a first chamber which narrows to form a drainage passage and a drainage opening at the bottom, the first wall having a stoma-receiving opening; a partial wall provided adjacent an upper part of the second wall and connected at or near its periphery to the second wall to provide a second chamber which is closed at the bottom; a first gas vent provided in the second wall to allow passage of gas between the first and second chambers; and a second gas vent, including a gas filter, provided in the partial wall.

The second chamber may have its lower end at or above the location where the first chamber narrows to from the drainage passage. The second chamber may have its lower end below the centre line of the stoma- receiving opening.

Preferably the second chamber has its lower end above the point midway between the location where the first chamber narrows to from the drainage passage and the centre line of the stoma-receiving opening.

The second gas vent and its filter may be provided between the centre line of the stoma-receiving opening and the bottom of the second chamber.

Alternatively the second gas vent and its filter are provided between the centre line of the stoma-receiving opening and the top of the second chamber.

The first gas vent in the second wall may be provided between the centre line of the stoma-receiving opening and the top of the bag.

The first gas vent is preferably an aperture in the second wall. The first gas vent preferably also includes a gas permeable membrane.

Preferably a region of the first wall surrounding the stoma-receiving opening is provided with means to fix it to a wearer's skin.

Preferably the first wall is provided with a covering layer to enhance wearer comfort.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is side cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of an ostomy bag in accordance with the present invention in an upright orientation; Figure 2 is a front view of the ostomy bag of figure 1.

Referring to figures 1 and 2 there is shown an ostomy bag in accordance with the present invention, generally at 10, having a top and a bottom. The bag 10 has a first wall 12 which in use lies against a wearer's skin, a second wall 14 and a partial wall 16 located adjacent to an upper portion of the second wall 14. The walls 12, 14, 16 are each manufactured of a thermoplastic material and are connected to each other by welds 18, 19, to form the bag 10. This form of bag 10, is drainable, and is commonly known as an ileostomy bag.

The first wall 12 has a stoma-receiving opening indicated at 20 and is also provided with fixing means 22 to fix the bag 10 to a stoma of the wearer.

Such fixing means 22 is well known in the art and does not form part of the present invention and therefore will not be described herein.

The first waIl 12 and the second wall 14 define a first chamber 24, which narrows towards the bottom to form a drainage passage 23 with an opening at the bottom 25 for draining of the bag 10. The second wall 14 and the partial wall 16 define a second chamber 26 which is closed at it's lower end where the partial wall 16 is welded to the second wall 14 by weld 19. In this example the weld 19 is located between the point midway between the point where the first chamber narrows to form the drainage passage 23 and the centre line 21 of the stoma-receiving opening 20. However, the lower end of the second chamber 26 may be located at any point below the centre line 21 of the stoma-receiving opening 20 and the point where the first chamber narrows to form the drainage passage 23. The bag 10 is proved with means to seal the first chamber 24, as shown in Figure 2, but as this does not form part of the present invention it will not be described further. The first chamber 24, in use, receives and stores waste from the stoma until the wearer drains the bag 10 via the opening 25.

The second wall 14 is provided with a first gas vent in the form of an aperture 28 covered by a microporous patch 29 (gas permeable membrane). In this example the aperture 28 is of 8mm diameter and the microporous patch 29 is of 14 mm diameter, but other dimensions will also be suitable for use in ostomy bags according to the invention. In this example the aperture 28 is provided at the centre line 21 of the stoma-receiving opening 20 but it may be provided at any point between the centre line 21 of the stoma-receiving opening 20 and the top of the bag 10, which ensures that it does not get blocked with waste from the stoma. The aperture 28 allows passage of gas between the first and second chambers 24, 26.

Two apertures 28 with associated microporous patches 29 may provided, as shown in Figure 2, and this is preferable although not essential.

The partial wall 16 is provided with a second gas vent in the form of an aperture 30. In this example the aperture 30 is provided between the centre line 21 of the stoma-receiving opening 20 and the weld 19 at the bottom of the second chamber 26, but it may be provided between the centre line 21 of the stoma-receiving opening 20 and the top of the second chamber 26. The aperture 30 is covered by a gas filter 32 to filter out any unwanted odours.

Thus any gases which are given off from the waste from the stoma travel from the first chamber 24, through the aperture 28 and microporous patch 29, into the second chamber 26 and out through the aperture 30 and the filter 32 to atmosphere.

There may be provided two apertures 30 and filters 32, as shown in chain lines of Figure 2. If two apertures 30 and filters 32 are provided then they are provided spaced apart across the width of the bag 10, generally one to either side of the stoma-receiving opening 20. If only one aperture 30 and filter 32 are provided then they will in general be provided to one side of the stoma- receiving opening 20, although they could be provided on the vertical centre line of the bag 10.

The first wall 12, and the partial wall 16 and exposed part of the second wall 14, may also each be provided with a covering layer to enhance wearer comfort so as to avoid the possibility of the bag 10 sticking or clinging to the wearer's skin and/or clothing.

Although the bag 10 has been described with the partial wall 16 provided to the outside of the full second wall 14, it will be appreciated that exactly the same effect may be achieved by manufacturing the bag using a partial wall secured to the inside of a full wall to form the second chamber 26. Thus this option falls inside within the scope of the invention.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A drainable ostomy bag having a top and bottom and including:- first and second walls connected to each other at or near their peripheries to form a first chamber which narrows to form a drainage passage and a drainage opening at the bottom, the first wall having a stoma-receiving opening; a partial wall provided adjacent an upper part of the second wall and connected at or near its periphery to the second wall to provide a second chamber which is closed at the bottom; a first gas vent provided in the second wall to allow passage of gas between the first and second chambers; and a second gas vent, including a gas filter, provided in the partial wall.

2. An ostomy bag according to claim 1 wherein the second chamber has its lower end at or above the location where the first chamber narrows to from the drainage passage.

3. An ostomy bag according to claim 2 wherein the second chamber has its lower end below the centre line of the stoma-receiving opening.

4. An ostomy bag according to claim 3 wherein the second chamber has its lower end above the point midway between the location where the first chamber narrows to from the drainage passage and the centre line of the stoma-receiving opening.

5. An ostomy bag according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second gas vent and its filter are provided between the centre line of the stoma-receiving opening and the bottom of the second chamber.

6. An ostomy bag according to any one of claims I to 4 wherein the second gas vent and its filter are provided between the centre line of the stomareceiving opening and the top of the second chamber.

7. An ostomy bag according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first gas vent in the second wall is provided between the centre line of the stoma-receiving opening and the top of the bag.

8. An ostomy bag according any preceding claim wherein the first gas vent is an aperture in the second wall.

9. An ostomy bag according any preceding claim wherein the first gas vent includes a gas permeable membrane.

10. An ostomy bag according any preceding claim wherein a region of the first wall surrounding the stoma-receiving opening is provided with means to fix it to a wearer's skin.

11. An ostomy bag according any preceding claim wherein the first wall is provided with a covering layer to enhance wearer comfort.

12. An ostomy bag substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

13. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.