Flushable ostomy pouch with mechanical coupling

• US 5,380,309 A
• Filed: 06/09/1994
• Issued: 01/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Convatec Technologies, Inc. (ConvaTec Group Plc)
• Original Assignee: E R Squibb & Sons Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnsen, Kenneth, Keyes, Denis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CLARKE, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US08/257,499
• Time in Patent Office: 215 Days
• Field of Search: 604/332-345
• US Class Current: 604/338
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/4402 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/448 Means for attaching bag to seal ring

Abstract

The ostomy pouch has a coupling member that can be removed from the pouch envelope to permit flush disposal of the envelope without the coupling member. Flushability of the pouch is further enhanced by forming the pouch with converging side walls. Thus when the pouch is deposited in a toilet bottom end first in a carrier sleeve, the pouch can flow in streamlined fashion through the passages of a toilet and any sewer pipe or septic line connected to the toilet. Depending upon the flush capacity of the toilet and the flow rate of water through the toilet and sewer line, the ostomy pouch can be deposited in the toilet without a carrier sleeve.

Claims

1. A flushable ostomy pouch for holding body waste that passes through a stoma comprising,

a) an envelope formed of flexible plastic sheet material defining a waste collection chamber for body waste that passes through a stoma,

b) a waste inlet opening formed in said envelope for passage of waste material from said stoma into said collection chamber,

c) flexible coupling means on said envelope around said waste inlet opening for positioning said waste inlet opening around a stoma,

d) adhesive bonding means for adhesively and detachably bonding said coupling means to said envelope, whereby said coupling means is removable from said envelope to facilitate flush disposal of said envelope in a toilet, said adhesive bonding means having a predetermined bonding strength that permits said coupling means to be peeled as a unit from said envelope so as to be reusable or discardable;

and

e) means for facilitating removal of said coupling member from said envelope.

2. The ostomy pouch as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a carrier sleeve for receiving said envelope therein prior to flushing.

3. The ostomy pouch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said envelope has a top end portion, a bottom end portion opposite said top end portion, and opposite side edges extending between said top end portion and said bottom end portion, said side edge portions converging toward each other in a direction from said top end portion to said bottom end portion such that said envelope in plan view is substantially V-shaped.

4. The ostomy pouch as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coupling means includes a coupling member and means for securing said coupling member around a stoma in a fixed position.

5. The ostomy pouch as claimed in claim 4 wherein said coupling member is a molded annular plastic member formed with a coupling portion, whereby said coupling portion is interengagable with a complementary-shaped coupling portion provided around the stoma.

6. The ostomy pouch as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for facilitating removal includes said annular plastic member having a peripheral edge portion that is formed to permit bending of said edge portion away from said envelope to initiate peeling of said annular plastic member from said envelope.

7. The ostomy pouch as claimed in claim 6 wherein said annular plastic member includes indicator means at said peripheral edge to indicate where the annular plastic member is to be initially peeled from said envelope.

8. The ostomy pouch as claimed in claim 7 wherein said indicator means is formed with a touch detector to permit touch detection of said initial peel section.

9. The ostomy pouch as claimed in claim 8 wherein said touch detector is a recess in said peripheral edge.

10. A flushable ostomy pouch for holding body waste that passes through a stoma comprising,

a) an envelope formed of flexible plastic sheet material defining a waste collection chamber for body waste that passes through a stoma,

b) a waste inlet opening formed in said envelope for passage of waste material from said stoma into said collection chamber,

c) flexible mechanical coupling means on said envelope around said waste inlet opening for positioning said waste inlet opening around a stoma,

d) adhesive bonding means for adhesively and detachably bonding said coupling means to said envelope, whereby said coupling means is removable from said envelope to facilitate flush disposal of said envelope in a toilet said adhesive bonding means having a predetermined bonding strength that permits said coupling means to be peeled as a unit from said envelope so as to be reusable or discardable,

e) means for facilitating removal of said coupling member from said envelope;

and

f) said envelope having a top end portion, a bottom end portion opposite said top end portion, and opposite side edges extending between said top end portion and said bottom end portion, said side edge portions converging toward each other in a direction from said top end portion to said bottom end portion such that said envelope in plan view is substantially V-shaped with an angle of convergence in the range of approximately 15°

to 25°

.

11. The ostomy pouch as claimed in claim 10 wherein said coupling means includes a coupling member and means for securing said coupling member around a stoma in a fixed position, said coupling member being formed of a molded annular plastic with a coupling portion that interengages a complementary shaped coupling portion provided around a stoma.

12. A method for facilitating flush disposal of an ostomy pouch comprising,

a) forming an envelope of flexible plastic sheet material with a waste inlet opening and a waste collection chamber,

b) detachably adhesively bonding a flexible coupling member onto the envelope around the waste inlet opening to position the waste inlet opening around a stoma,

c) including in the envelope-coupling member combination, means for facilitating peeling of the coupling member from the envelope,

d) removing the flexible coupling member as a unit from the envelope for discarding or reusing when the envelope is ready for disposal by manipulating the means for facilitating peeling;

and

e) flushing the envelope down a toilet without the coupling member.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of bonding includes joining the coupling member to the envelope by an adhesive tape that is joined to the envelope at a non-adhesive side and which holds the coupling member at the adhesive side.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of removing the coupling member from the envelope includes the step of initiating removal at an initial peel section that is indicated with a touch detector.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of forming includes forming the envelope in a V-shape.

16. The method of claim 12 further including the step of depositing the envelope in a carrier sleeve that becomes slippery upon immersion in water.

17. The method of claim 12 further including the step of severing the top portion of the envelope.