Waterproof cover for an ostomy pouch

• US 9,750,633 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2016
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthur J Follenius
• Original Assignee: Arthur J Follenius
• Inventors: Follenius, Arthur J
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, Todd J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Townsend, Guy K
• Application Number:
  US15/246,775
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/443 having adhesive seals for securing to the body, e.g. of hydrocolloid type, e.g. gels, starches, karaya gums adhesives or sealing pads therefor A61L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/445 Colostomy, ileostomy or urethrostomy devices A61F5/441, A61F5/442, A61F5/443 take precedence

Abstract

A cover for an ostomy pouch comprises a flexible waterproof material and an opening sealable in a waterproof manner through which the ostomy pouch may pass. An aperture in the front side is sized to closely surround an orifice of the ostomy pouch. A flange extends outward from the aperture and is sized to cover any portion of the ostomy pouch which projects through the aperture. An adhesive layer contacts the flange and adheres removably to the skin of the wearer. In an embodiment, a resilient ring surrounds the aperture. Reusable and disposable versions of the cover are provided.

Claims

1. An ostomy appliance cover system comprising a cover configured for use with a one piece or two piece ostomy appliance comprising an ostomy pouch comprising an orifice with an attached connecting ring configured to be removably or permanently adhered to a complementary ring of a wafer adherable to a patient'"'"'s skin around a stoma, the wafer having an outer periphery, the ostomy appliance cover system comprising:

(a) the cover, the cover comprising;

(i) a front side comprising an expandable aperture configured to fit snugly around the connecting ring of the pouch and the complementary ring of the wafer when adhered;

(ii) a rear side, wherein the front side and rear side are each comprised of a flexible waterproof material having front and rear outer edges joined together and configured to enclose an interior region of the cover that is shaped and dimensioned to contain the ostomy pouch;

(iii) an opening configured to separate and connect an upper edge of a lower portion to a lower edge of an upper portion of the front side or rear side of the cover, the upper edge and the lower edge each attached to a complementary connecting portion of a fastener or interlocking seal, the opening configured for the ostomy pouch to pass through into the interior region of the cover, the fastener or interlocking seal configured to seal the upper portion to the lower portion in a waterproof manner;

wherein the expandable aperture in the front side of the cover is;

sized and configured to closely surround the connecting ring of the pouch and the complementary ring of the wafer; and

configured for expansion such that the ostomy pouch can be inserted through the expandable aperture into the interior region of the cover while the adhered or detached wafer remains external to the cover;

(b) a waterproof flange having a distal face, a proximal face, a flange opening, and an outer periphery, the flange extending outward from the flange opening and the expandable aperture of the cover, and sized and configured to overlap and extend beyond the outer periphery of the wafer; and

,

(c) an adhesive layer comprising a distal adhesive side, a proximal adhesive side, and an adhesive layer opening, the adhesive layer configured to adhere to the distal face or proximal face of the flange and to removably adhere to the skin of the patient around the stoma, wherein the adhesive layer is configured to, alternatively;

(i) the proximal adhesive side is configured to;

(A) adhere to at least a periphery of the distal face of the flange;

(B) extend beyond the outer periphery of the flange; and

(C) removably adhere to the patient'"'"'s skin to seal the flange around the wafer; and

,

(ii) (A) the distal adhesive side is configured to removably adhere to the proximal face of the flange; and

(B) the proximal adhesive side is configured to;

(1) removably adhere to the patient'"'"'s skin peripheral to the outer periphery of the wafer; and

(2) seal the flange around the wafer;

such that the wafer of the ostomy appliance is protected from exposure to water exterior to the cover.

2. The cover according to claim 1, wherein:

the opening is in the front side of the cover and the upper edge and the lower edge are provided below the aperture.

3. The cover according to claim 1, further including:

a resilient ring surrounding the aperture.

4. The cover according to claim 1, wherein:

the flange is comprised of vinyl plastic.

5. The cover according to claim 1, wherein:

the flange has a thickness greater than 375 micrometers.

6. A waterproof ostomy pouch system for a patient having skin, the system comprising:

(a) a one piece or two piece ostomy appliance comprising an ostomy pouch comprising an orifice with an attached connecting ring configured to be removably or permanently adhered to a complementary ring of a wafer adherable to the patient'"'"'s skin around a stoma, the wafer having an outer periphery;

(b) a cover, the cover comprising;

(i) a front side comprising an expandable aperture configured to fit snugly around the connecting ring of the pouch and the complementary ring of the wafer when adhered;

(ii) a rear side, wherein the front side and rear side are each comprised of a flexible waterproof material having front and rear outer edges joined together and configured to enclose an interior region of the cover that is shaped and dimensioned to contain the ostomy pouch;

(iii) an opening configured to separate and connect an upper edge of a lower portion to a lower edge of an upper portion of the front side or rear side of the cover, the upper edge and the lower edge each attached to a complementary connecting portion of a fastener or interlocking seal, the opening configured for the ostomy pouch to pass through into the interior region of the cover, the fastener or interlocking seal configured to seal the upper portion to the lower portion in a waterproof manner;

wherein the expandable aperture in the front side of the cover is;

sized and configured to closely surround the connecting ring of the pouch and the complementary ring of the wafer; and

configured for expansion such that the ostomy pouch can be inserted through the expandable aperture into the interior region of the cover while the adhered or detached wafer remains external to the cover;

(c) a waterproof flange having a distal face, a proximal face, a flange opening, and an outer periphery, the flange extending outward from the flange opening and the expandable aperture of the cover, and sized and configured to overlap and extend beyond the outer periphery of the wafer; and

,

(d) an adhesive layer comprising a distal adhesive side, a proximal adhesive side, and an adhesive layer opening, the adhesive layer configured to adhere to the distal face or proximal face of the flange and to removably adhere to the skin of the patient around the stoma, wherein the adhesive layer is configured to, alternatively;

(i) the proximal adhesive side is configured to;

(A) adhere to at least a periphery of the distal face of the flange;

(B) extend beyond the outer periphery of the flange; and

(C) removably adhere to the patient'"'"'s skin to seal the flange around the wafer; and

,

(ii) (A) the distal adhesive side is configured to removably adhere to the proximal face of the flange; and

(B) the proximal adhesive side is configured to;

(1) removably adhere to the patient'"'"'s skin peripheral to the outer periphery of the wafer; and

(2) seal the flange around the wafer;

such that the wafer of the ostomy appliance is protected from exposure to water exterior to the cover.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein:

the opening is in the front side of the cover and the upper edge and the lower edge are provided below the aperture.

8. The system according to claim 6, further including:

a resilient ring surrounding the aperture.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein:

the flange is comprised of vinyl plastic.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein:

the flange has a thickness greater than 375 micrometers.

11. A method for a patient having skin to protect a one piece or two piece ostomy appliance from water, the ostomy appliance comprising an ostomy pouch comprising an orifice with an attached connecting ring configured to be removably or permanently adhered to a complementary ring of a wafer adherable to a patient'"'"'s skin around a stoma, the wafer having an outer periphery, the method comprising:

(a) providing an ostomy appliance cover system comprising;

(i) a cover, the cover comprising;

(A) a front side comprising an expandable aperture configured to fit snugly around the connecting ring of the pouch and the complementary ring of the wafer when adhered;

(B) a rear side, wherein the front side and rear side are each comprised of a flexible waterproof material having front and rear outer edges joined together and configured to enclose an interior region of the cover that is shaped and dimensioned to contain the ostomy pouch; and

,

(C) an opening configured to separate and connect an upper edge of a lower portion to a lower edge of an upper portion of the front side or rear side of the cover, the upper edge and the lower edge each attached to a complementary connecting portion of a fastener or interlocking seal, the opening configured for the ostomy pouch to pass through into the interior region of the cover, the fastener or interlocking seal configured to seal the upper portion to the lower portion in a waterproof manner;

wherein the expandable aperture in the front side of the cover is;

sized and configured to closely surround the connecting ring of the pouch and the complementary ring of the wafer; and

configured for expansion such that the ostomy pouch can be inserted through the expandable aperture into the interior region of the cover while the adhered or detached wafer remains external to the cover;

(ii) a waterproof flange having a distal face, a proximal face, a flange opening, and an outer periphery, the flange extending outward from the flange opening and the expandable aperture of the cover and sized and configured to overlap and extend beyond the outer periphery of the wafer; and

,

(iii) an adhesive layer comprising a distal adhesive side, a proximal adhesive side, and an adhesive layer opening, the adhesive layer configured to adhere to the distal face or proximal face of the flange and to removably adhere to the skin of the patient around the stoma, wherein the adhesive layer is configured to, alternatively;

(A) the proximal adhesive side is configured to;

(1) adhere to at least a periphery of the distal face of the flange;

(2) extend beyond the outer periphery of the flange; and

(3) removably adhere to the patient'"'"'s skin to seal the flange around the wafer; and

,

(B) (1) the distal adhesive side is configured to removably adhere to the proximal face of the flange; and

(2) the proximal adhesive side is configured to;

(a) removably adhere to the patient'"'"'s skin peripheral to the outer periphery of the wafer; and

(b) seal the flange around the wafer;

(b) passing the ostomy pouch through the opening or the expandable aperture of the cover;

(c) after b, sealing the fastener or interlocking seal of the opening of the cover;

(d) after b, positioning the ostomy pouch so that the connecting ring of the pouch is closely surrounded by the expandable aperture and the wafer remains external to the cover; and

,

(e) adhering the adhesive layer to the flange and the skin peripheral to the outer periphery of the wafer, the flange and adhesive layer thereby protecting the wafer of the ostomy appliance from exposure to water exterior to the cover.

12. The method according to claim 11, further including:

in (a)(i)(A), a resilient ring surrounding the expandable aperture.