RESEALABLE CLOSURE FOR ILEOSTOMY BAG

• US 3,825,005 A
• Filed: 02/26/1973
• Issued: 07/23/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leonard Fenton
• Original Assignee: Leonard Fenton
• Inventors: Fenton, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Charles F.
• Application Number:
  US05/335,949
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 128/283,286,287,294,295
• US Class Current: 604/335
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4407 Closure means other than valves

Abstract

A reusable, resealable, ileostomy or colostomy bag which may be emptied without removing the bag from the stoma of the user. Overlapping flexible panels of plastic material, which are sealingly connected at their sides, are sealed to the walls of the bag or pouch. Ribs integral with one panel are adapted to sealingly fit into channels formed by ribs on the other panel to provide a gas-impermeable and fluid-tight seal. The resilience of the panels permits them to be bent together along the line of sealing at the bottom of the bag. Finger pressure, oppositely directed along the closure, permits distension of the closure to its full opening, permitting fecal matter in the pouch to be dumped without contacting the same. To more securely seal the bottom of such a bag, a secondary sealing device is provided. Such a sealing device comprises mating sealing members on either side of a fold line at the bottom of the bag. The secondary seal is effected by folding the bottom of the bag one or more times and then fastening the mating sealing members.

Claims

1. A stoma bag adapted to be emptied without removing it from the user'"'"''"'"'s stoma and reusable a plurality of times, comprising sidewalls defining a bag body having a side opening defined by a peripheral seal adapted to be demountably disposed on a mounting means and adapted to receive the user'"'"''"'"'s stoma, and a resealable bottom closure sealingly connected to the bottom of said sidewalls, said closure comprising two relatively stiff but flexible panels of thermoplastic synthetic resinous material in overlapping contacting relationship with each other sealingly connected at their side edges and sealingly connected to the sidewalls of said bag, one panel having at least two ribs defining at least one channel integral with said one panel and disposed in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said bag, the other panel having at least one rib adapted to fit into a juxtapositioned channel of said one panel to form a fluidtight, gas-impermeable linear closure for the bottom of said bag.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein said bag is a dual-walled bag having inner and outer layers and said panels are sealingly connected to fecal discharge-retaining sidewalls of said bag.

3. A stoma bag adapted to be emptied without removing it from the user'"'"''"'"'s stoma and reusable a plurality of times, comprising sidewalls defining a bag body having a side opening defined by a peripheral seal adapted to be demountably disposed on a mounting means and adapted to receive the user'"'"''"'"'s stoma, and a resealable bottom closure sealingly connected to the bottom of said sidewalls along a bottom sealing line, said closure comprising two relatively stiff but flexible panels of thermoplastic synthetic resinous material in overlapping contacting relationship with each other sealingly connected at their sides, each panel having at least two ribs defining at least one channel integral with each panel disposed in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said bag, at least one rib of one panel being adapted to fit into a juxtapositioned channel of the other panel to form a fluid-tight, gas-impermeable linear closure at the lower portion of said panels, the upper portion of said relatively stiff panels defining a selectively fluid-permeable but glob-tight constrictive zone, said panels being stiffly bendable together along said bottom sealing line while maintaining said linear closure without distoring it and thereafter being digitally openable without any portion of the opening hand contacting fecal matter within said bag, and distensible to the full extent of said linear closure by oppositely directed digital pressure along the longitudinal axis of said linear closure, to permit emptying of all the fecal matter in said bag without allowing globs to be entrapped within said constrictive zone or said channel.

4. The article of claim 3 wherein said bag is a dual-walled bag having inner and outer layers and said panels are sealingly connected to the discharge retaining sidewalls of said bag.

5. A gravity-drainable, post-operative pouch adapted to be used by a bedridden patient, said pouch having an open discharge end selectively couplable with (a) a coupling sleeve adapted to drain fecal discharge continually into an accumulator or (b) a cap section when said sleeve is uncoupled, said discharge end comprising flexible panels formed from a thermoplastic, synthetic, resinous material in overlapping relationship with each other sealingly connected at their side edges to provide an easily distensible opening having smooth inner walls, said panels including integral fastening means to couplingly engage said pouch in fecal communication with (a) or (b).

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said panels are coupled to upper coupling portions of said (a) or (b) by pressingly engaging at least one rib into a channel adapted to engage said rib to form a fluid-coNductive seal.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein said panels have at least one exterior rib or at least one channel defined by two exterior ribs integral with each panel, said rib or ribs being disposed in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said pouch whereby said pouch is couplingly engageable in fecal communication with (a) or (b).

8. A stoma bag adapted to be emptied without removing it from the user'"'"''"'"'s stoma and reusable a plurality of times, comprising sidewalls defining a bag body having a side opening defined by a peripheral seal adapted to be demountably disposed on a mounting means and adapted to receive the user'"'"''"'"'s stoma, a primary resealable bottom closure sealingly connected to the bottom of said sidewalls, said primary closure comprising two relatively stiff but flexible panels of thermoplastic synthetic resinous material in overlapping contacting relationship with each other sealingly connected at their side edges and sealingly connected to the sidewalls of said bag, one panel having at least two ribs defining at least one channel integral with said one panel and disposed in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of said bag, the other panel having at least one rib adapted to fit into a juxtapositioned channel of said one panel to form a fluid-tight, gas-impermeable primary linear closure for the bottom of said bag, and a secondary resealable bottom closure, said secondary closure comprising first and second sealing elements at the bottom of the bag and vertically spaced with respect to each other so that the bag may be folded at least once to mate with said sealing elements.

9. A stoma bag according to claim 8, wherein said sealing elements are snap fasteners comprising male and female mating elements.

10. A stoma bag according to claim 9, wherein a mating element is provided on a flap fixed to said bag.

11. A stoma bag according to claim 10, wherein said mating element is a male mating element.

12. A stoma bag according to claim 8, wherein said sealing elements comprise a first strip having at least two ribs defining at least one channel, and a second strip having at least one rib adapted to fit into a channel of said first strip.