WO1983001378A1

WO1983001378A1 - Aid for the handicapped in fitting a colostomy bag

Info

Publication number: WO1983001378A1
Application number: PCT/GB1981/000276
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pamela Morris
Original assignee: Morris, Stanley, Sydney
Priority date: 1981-10-22
Filing date: 1981-12-18
Publication date: 1983-04-28
Also published as: GB2109688A

Abstract

Cet ensemble d'outils permet à un patient avec des doigts handicapés d'installer une poche colostomique (1) pourvue d'une ouverture élastique autour de son collier et de l'enlever. Un gabarit possède des ergots verticaux dont les pointes sont disposées sur la circonférence d'un cercle horizontal d'un diamètre légèrement plus large que celui du collier. On fait passer au moyen d'un levier l'embouchure de la poche au-dessus d'un ergot à la fois. On glisse une bande rigide (8) d'un diamètre presque aussi large entre les pointes des ergots et la poche (1) qui est appliquée sur la bande (8) et enlevée du gabarit. La poche (1) est repliée sur un bord au travers de la bande (8) tandis que l'élastique (3) reste en place. La poche ouverte (1) peut être laissée dans cette position jusqu'à son utilisation. Le bord de la bande (8) recouvert par la poche (1) est alors placé sur le collier et l'on fait avancer la poche (1).This set of tools allows a patient with disabled fingers to install a colostomic pocket (1) provided with an elastic opening around his collar and to remove it. A template has vertical pins whose points are arranged on the circumference of a horizontal circle with a diameter slightly larger than that of the collar. The mouth of the pocket is passed over a lug at a time by means of a lever. A rigid strip (8) with a diameter almost as wide is slid between the points of the lugs and the pocket (1) which is applied to the strip (8) and removed from the template. The pocket (1) is folded over an edge through the strip (8) while the elastic (3) remains in place. The open pocket (1) can be left in this position until needed. The edge of the strip (8) covered by the pocket (1) is then placed on the collar and the pocket (1) is advanced.

Description

AID FOR THE HANDICAPPED IN FITTING A COLOSTOMY BAG

I do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:

DESCRIPTION: The invention relates to the design of an aid consisting of a set of tools to help the patient with disabled fingers put a colostomy bag on to its collar and remove it from that collar.

Colostomy bags of this type are in the form of a plastic bag having a mouth enclosed by a casing containing an elastic string, and this string has to be stretched sufficiently for the mouth of the bag to fit over the-collar of a bushing adhered to the patient's body around the stoma.

The patient's fingers may not be sufficiently able to stretch the elastic string without aid, or to hold the colostomy bag open, or to put the open mouth of the bag over the collar, or to pull the bag off the collar easily. These drawbacks can be overcome with the aid of a set of tools.

The tools provide an extra advantage in that the bag can be opened at an earlier time either by the patient or a helper and left on a tool in readiness for the patient to put the bag over the collar when it is needed.

The idea is to have a firm band of diameter just greater than that of the collar. Using tools, the bag is stretched on to the band, and then pushed off on to the collar when needed. A further tool is for pulling the bag off the collar.

To get the bag on to the band, a jig and a ball-end of a lever are used.

The essential part of the design of the jig is that it incorporates a circular cross section of diameter approximately that of the band, and it enables the mouth of the bag to be extended from its small, closed size to the wider size of the collar. This jig has four pins fixed to a firm base. They are arranged so that their notched tips are evenly spaced on the circumference of a circle of diameter slightly greater than the band.

The lever, which is of knitting needle style, has one end ball shaped and a handle to increase grip.

The patient puts the bag over the tip of one pin, then stretches it on to the one diametrically opposite, using the ball end of the lever placed beneath the channelled elastic. Next (s)he lifts it on to a third pin, and then on to a fourth, so opening the bag completely. The bag is neatly arranged with the elastic running round the four notches of the pins.

The band is placed in position on the jig; here it is within the four pins. The elastic of the bag is eased from the pins on to the band, and the band holding the bag withdrawn from the jig. With the elastic gripping the band, the bag is pushed through the band so that it folds over one side of the band. It has been turned the other way in as a result.

The stretched bag can be left on the band like this until required by the patient for use.

To slip the bag from the band on to the collar, the band is placed over the collar with the folded edge of the bag in between.

Without aid the patient may be able to ease the bag from the band on to the collar, so releasing the band.

It is essential to the design that the band is of hollow structure in order to enable its release away from the bag at this stage.

If required, when the band and bag are over the collar, a cylinder of slightly larger diameter than the band can be put over the band and, with a push and twist ease the bag on to the collar, so releasing the band.

For removal of the bag, the chisel or pointed end of the lever can be inserted between bag and collar, and the bag pulled free. The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a colostomy bag.

Fig. 2 shows the collar fitting on which the bag is to be put.

Fig. 3 shows the band.

Fig. 4 shows the jig.

Fig. 5 shows the lever.

Fig. 6 shows a horizontal cross section of the jig loaded with band and stretched bag.

Fig. 7 shows the band holding the bag as removed from the jig.

Fig. 8 shows the cylinder. In the drawings 1 is the transparent bag with casing formed into a channel 2 and enclosing the elastic string 3 near the mouth 4 of the bag.

Fig, 2 shows the collar 5 of the bushing 6 and the adhesive 7 on the patient's body.

Fig. 3 shows the band 8.

Fig. 4 illustrates the jig with four pins 9 with a notch 10 below the tip 11 of each.

Fig. 5 shows the lever formed of a rod 12 with a handle 13, a ball end 14, and a chisel end 15.

The elastic string 3 of the bag 1 is stretched across the pins 9 of the jig of Fig. 4 using the ball end 14 of the lever of Fig. 5, and arranged in the notches 10.

The band 8 of Fig. 3 is positioned in the jig within the four pins 9. Fig. 6 shows the horizontal cross section of this set up. When the elastic string is eased from the pins on to the band, the band removed from the jig, and the bag pushed through the band with the elastic still gripping the band, this state is shown in Fig. 7. This is how the bag may be left until required for further use by the patient.

The apparatus of Fig. 7 is next inverted, and placed over the collar 5 of Fig. 2.

The open end of the cylinder of Fig. 8 is put over the collar 5 and pushed with a twist thus fitting the colostomy bag on the collar and releasing the band.

For removal of the bag, the chisel end 15 of the lever of Fig 5 is inserted between the bag 1 and the collar 5, and the bag pulled free.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An aid consisting of a set of tools for putting a colostomy bag of this type on to its collar and removing it from the collar when the patients fingers are disabled.

2. A tool of circular cross section and with some length but also hollow on which the opened bag can be supported and turned the opther way in.

3. A tool as described in Claim 2 in the form of a band.

4. A tool on which the opened colostomy bag can be held in readiness for use.

5. A tool as described in Claim 2 on which the opened colostomy bag can be held in readiness for use.

6. A tool as described in Claim 3 on which the opened colostomy bag can be held in readiness for use.

7. A tool of circular cross section on which a colostomy bag can be opened.

8. A tool called a jig as described in Claim 7 and having pins arranged so that their tips are spaced on the circumference of a circle in a plane perpendicular to the length of the pins.

9. A tool in the form of a rod with a ball end for lifting the colostomy bag over the pins of the jig as described in Claim 8.

10. A tool for pulling the colostomy bag off its collar.

11. A tool as described in Claim 10 in the form of a rod with shaped end of chisel or pointed type.

12. A tool called a lever incorporating Claim 9, and Claim 10 or 11.

13. A tool in the shape of a cylinder with at least one end open to push the opened colostomy bag as described in Claim 2 and Claim 3 on to the collar.