Ostomy appliances

Details Ostomy appliances Ostomy appliances

1998-09-11

2001-06-05

Ruhl, Dennis (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Means and methods for collecting body fluids or waste material

Receptacle attached to or inserted within body to receive...

Reexamination Certificate

active

06241712

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to ostomy appliances. In on aspect, the invention relates to a deodorising filter arrangement for an ostomy pouch. In another aspect, the invention relates to a superabsorbent member suitable for use in an ostomy pouch, and also to a method of introducing the superabsorbent member into a pouch. This aspect of the invention is particularly suitable for use with ileostomy pouches or urostomy pouches, but it is not limited only to such applications.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The prior art is replete with suggestions intended to permit flatus gasses to be vented from an ostomy pouch. Many such arrangements include means for deodorising these gases by the use of filters of various kinds.
For example, reference is made to the arrangements proposed in GB-A-2,225,952 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,258 (both E. R. Squibb and Sons, Inc.) and GB-A-2,177,926 (Craig Medical Products Limited). Further reference is made to WO-A-96/10378, EP-A-0709076, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,224.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Such designs can provide advantages to the ostomate, for example, in terms of flow rate adjustability and filter replacement. Nevertheless, there remains a need for further compact, simple and effective filter arrangements which can be manufactured economically.
In contrast to many conventional filter elements in which a flat filter is received within a flat filter housing, one aspect of the present invention is to employ a filter housing having a bore therein, and an elongate deodorising filter element received or receivable longitudinally within the bore. The bore preferably has a longitudinal dimension greater than its, or a, lateral dimension. Preferably, in use, the gas flow through the deodorising filter element is generally in an axial direction.
For the avoidance of doubt, the term elongate is used herein broadly to mean that the length is greater than the, or a, lateral dimension.
During the development work leading to this aspect of the invention, it was appreciated that compact filters are already mass produced in the cigarette filter industry. Although conventional cigarette filters themselves might not be fully effective in deodorising the unpleasant odours of flatus gasses, for example, sulphur dioxide to which the human nose is extremely sensitive, the production facilities may nevertheless be suitable for the production of ostomy deodorising filters. In contrast to the prior art, the invention enables advantage to be taken for the first time of the existing production facilities used in the cigarette filter industry to mass produce elongate, compact ostomy filters very economically. To the best of the inventor's knowledge and belief, such a filter type or construction has not been contemplated for ostomy use hitherto.
Preferably, the bore and the filter element are generally cylindrical, although this is not essential in all embodiments.
Preferably, the bore is generally straight. The ends of the bore may be generally transverse to the axis of the bore, or one or both ends may be inclined relative to the axis. In the former case, the bore is preferably of about the same length as the filter element, whereas in the latter case, the bore is preferably longer than the filter element (to ensure that the filter element is contained within the bore along its entire length.
Preferably, the filter element is a snug fit within the bore, and is retained in position by frictional engagement between the filter and the inner surface of the bore. One or more projections may be provided on the inner surface of the bore to grip the filter element. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more end members, for example, end covers, may be employed to contain the filter within the bore.
In one preferred form, the filter element can be positioned within the bore manually by being slid into the bore through one end. Preferably, this can be performed by the ostomate while wearing the pouch, or prior to wearing the pouch.
In a particularly preferred form, an existing filter element positioned within the bore is displaceable, or ejectable, through one end of the bore by insertion of a new filter element through the opposite end. This can allow simple filter replacement without a person having to open, and then re-secure, the filter housing to access the filter element as in many prior art designs (which in some cases may require considerable dexterity).
More preferably, the bore is arranged with one end opening into the pouch, so that the ejected filter element can drop into the pouch. This is particularly advantageous, because it can enable filter replacement without the ostomate having to handle and dispose of the old filter. It will be appreciated that after some time in use, a filter may normally accumulate faecal matter, or slurry, on its surface, particularly if the pouch is almost full, or if the faecal matter has leaked into the filter compartment for other reasons. Handling such contaminated filters presents a hygiene risk. Moreover, it may not always be convenient to dispose of the old filter.
Another preferred feature is that a range of different filter elements be provided to enable an ostomate to select a filter with an optimum flow rate characteristic. The flow rate characteristic may be controlled by varying, for example, the filter density, pore density, or the tortuosity through the filter. The pouch may be supplied with a packet of such different filter elements, or the ostomate may be able to purchase a packet of different, or the same, filter elements separately. The ostomate can then insert the desired filter element into the housing prior to wearing the pouch. The filter elements may, for example, be coloured differently to indicate different flow rates.
In one preferred form, the filter housing is incorporated within a coupling member of an ostomy coupling. The filter is preferably incorporated in the bag-side coupling member, but could also be incorporated within the bodyside coupling member if desired.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a deodorising ostomy filter, comprising:
a filter housing having a bore therein, the bore having a longitudinal dimension greater than a lateral dimension; and
an elongate filter element received or receivable longitudinally within the bore.
Preferably, the gas flow path within the bore is in one or more generally axial directions.
Preferably, the bore and the filter element are generally cylindrical.
Preferably, the filter element is insertable into one end of the bore. More preferably, the filter element is ejectable through one end of the bore by insertion of a replacement filter element through the opposite end.
In a further closely related aspect, the invention provides an ostomy pouch including a deodorising filter, the deodorising filter comprising:
a filter housing having a bore therethrough, the bore including an inner end communicating with an interior space of the pouch, and an opposite outer end;
an elongate filter element receivable longitudinally within the bore to deodorise gas escaping through the bore, the filter element being ejectable through the inner end of the bore into the pouch by insertion of a displacing object through the outer end of the bore.
Preferably, the object is a replacement filter element.
In a yet further related aspect, the invention provides an ostomy deodorising filter element, the element being generally cylindrical and having an axial length greater than its radial dimension, and preferably greater than is diameter. Preferably, the filter element is relatively rigid. The filter element may be encased in a sleeve to assist retention of the element's shape. The sleeve may be rigid or semi-rigid. The sleeve may be of a water-soluble material, for example, polyvinyl alcohol.
Preferably, the filter element contains superabsorbent material for absorbing any liquid which leaks or soaks into the filter element. This is particularly advantageous for filter or pouch configurations in which no protective barrier is provided to obstruct t

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