BOWEL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bowel management system includes a waste collection catheter having at least two distinct sections. The first section is patient proximal when disposed in the patient'"'"'s rectum and has durometer hardness in the range of about 50A to about 90A. The second catheter section is connected to the first section and has durometer hardness in the range of about 5A to about 49A. A selectively collapsible, substantially spherical retention balloon is attached coaxially and exterior of the first catheter section such that the proximal-most end of the retention balloon is coincident to the proximal-most end of the first section of the waste collection catheter, the substantially spherical retention balloon having an inflated size so as to be sufficiently large enough to retain the patient proximal end of the catheter in the patient'"'"'s rectum without being so large as to trigger a defecatory response in the patient.
101 Citations
74 Claims
-
1-42. -42. (canceled)
-
43. A bowel management system for use in a patient comprising:
-
a waste collection catheter including; a first section which is patient proximal and which is disposed in the patient'"'"'s rectum in normal use position, having a first end and a second end, and a durometer hardness in the range of about 50A to about 90A, so that the catheter patient proximal section is stiff enough to automatically maintain an open position for free flow of bowel waste when in normal use position with a retention balloon inflated, yet is soft and pliable enough to permit folding longitudinally for ease of insertion into the rectum of a patient;
a second section having a first end connected to the second end of the patient proximal section, and a second end, and a durometer hardness in the range of about 5A to about 49A, so that the second section can be positioned and retained in the anal canal of the patient for extended periods without distending the sphincters or causing discomfort; and
a selectively collapsible retention balloon attached coaxially and exterior of the patient proximal first catheter section such that the proximal-most end of the retention balloon is coincident to the proximal-most first end of the patient proximal first section of the waste collection catheter, the retention balloon having an inflated size so as to be sufficiently large enough to retain the patient proximal end of the catheter in the patient'"'"'s rectum without being so large as to trigger a defecatory response in the patient. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
-
-
62. A method for inserting a bowel management system into a patient, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a bowel management system, the system having a waste collection catheter including; a first section which is patient proximal and which is disposed in the patient'"'"'s rectum in normal use position, having a first end and a second end, and a durometer hardness in the range of about 50A to about 90A, so that the catheter patient proximal section is stiff enough to automatically maintain an open position for free flow of bowel waste when in normal use position with retention balloon inflated, yet is soft and pliable enough to permit folding longitudinally for ease of insertion into the rectum of a patient; a second section having a first end connected to the second end of the patient proximal section, and a second end, and a durometer hardness in the range of about 5A to about 49A, so that the second section can be positioned and retained in the anal canal of the patient for extended periods without distending the sphincters or causing discomfort; and a selectively collapsible retention balloon attached coaxially and exterior of the patient proximal first catheter section such that the proximal-most end of the retention balloon is coincident to the proximal-most first end of the patient proximal first section of the waste collection catheter, the retention balloon having an inflated size so as to be sufficiently large enough to retain the patient proximal end of the catheter in the patient'"'"'s rectum without being so large as to trigger a defecatory response in the patient; (b) folding the patient proximal first end of the waste collection catheter longitudinally; (c) inserting the folded patient proximal first end of the waste collection catheter into the patient'"'"'s rectum sufficiently far that the selectively collapsible retention balloon is entirely within the patient'"'"'s rectum; and d) securing the waste collection catheter in the position to which it has been inserted so that the catheter does not become separated from the patient during an extended period of time, in the range of hours, while the patient'"'"'s body waste is permitted to drain out of the patient'"'"'s body through the waste collection catheter. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64)
-
-
65. A bowel management system for use in a patient comprising a waste collection catheter including:
-
a first section which is patient proximal and which is disposed in the patient'"'"'s rectum in normal use position, having a first end and a second end, and a durometer hardness in the range of about 50A to about 90A, so that the catheter patient proximal section is stiff enough to automatically maintain an open position for free flow of bowel waste when in normal use position with a retention balloon inflated, yet is soft and pliable enough to permit folding longitudinally for ease of insertion into the rectum of the patient; a second section having a first end connected to the second end of the patient proximal section, and a second end, and a durometer hardness in the range of about 5A to about 49A, so that the second section can be positioned and retained in the anal canal of the patient for extended periods without distending the sphincters or causing discomfort; and a selectively collapsible retention balloon attached coaxially and exterior of the patient proximal first catheter section such that the proximal-most end of the retention balloon is coincident to the proximal-most first end of the patient proximal first section of the waste collection catheter, the retention balloon having an inflated size so as to be sufficiently large enough to retain the patient proximal end of the catheter in the patient'"'"'s rectum without being so large as to trigger a defecatory response in the patient, and further comprising a lumened member which is substantially smaller in diameter than the waste collection catheter and which has a first end and a second end, the first end of the lumened member being connected to the patient proximal first section of the waste collection catheter and being in fluid communication with the selectively collapsible retention balloon, and wherein the second end of the lumened member is connectable to a port for introduction or removal of fluid from the retention balloon, for selective inflation and deflation of the retention balloon as necessary for insertion, retention or removal of the rectal catheter patient proximal segment to or from the patient'"'"'s rectum.
-
-
66. A waste collection catheter having at least two sections for receiving, carrying and removing bowel waste from a patient, comprising:
-
a rectal catheter section having a patient proximal opening that, when in a position for normal use, opens into a patient'"'"'s rectum to receive bowel waste, the rectal catheter section being sufficiently pliable to permit folding for ease of insertion into a patient'"'"'s rectum while also being sufficiently stiff following insertion to maintain an open position in a patient'"'"'s rectum for free flow of bowel waste through the patient proximal opening; a trans-sphincter catheter section distal to the rectal catheter section that can be collapsed by a patient'"'"'s anal sphincter muscles when in a position for normal use; the trans-sphincter catheter section being sufficiently soft to be retained in a patient'"'"'s anal canal for extended periods, without distending a patient'"'"'s anal sphincter muscles or otherwise causing discomfort, and extending from internally of a patient, through the anal sphincter muscles, to externally of a patient; a third catheter section extending from a distal end of the trans-sphincter catheter section and which is positioned patient distal in normal use; an inflatable balloon extending radially outwardly of the patient proximal opening for retaining the patient proximal opening in a position for normal use in an open position for flow of bowel waste through the patient proximal opening; and a connector assembly in communication with a distal end of the third catheter section, wherein a proximal end of the connector assembly fits in a distal end of the third catheter section. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
-
-
74. A waste collection catheter having at least two sections for receiving, carrying and removing bowel waste from a patient, comprising:
-
a rectal catheter section having a patient proximal opening that, when in a position for normal use, opens into a patient'"'"'s rectum to receive bowel waste, the rectal catheter section being sufficiently pliable to permit folding for case of insertion into a patient'"'"'s rectum while also being sufficiently stiff following insertion to maintain an open position in a patient'"'"'s rectum for free flow of bowel waste through the patient proximal opening; a trans-sphincter catheter section distal to the rectal catheter section that can be collapsed by a patient'"'"'s anal sphincter muscles when in a position for normal use; the trans-sphincter catheter section being sufficiently soft to be retained in a patient'"'"'s anal canal for extended periods, without distending a patient'"'"'s anal sphincter muscles or otherwise causing discomfort, and extending from internally of a patient, through the anal sphincter muscles, to externally of a patient; a third catheter section extending from a distal end of the trans-sphincter catheter section and which is positioned patient distal in normal use; an inflatable balloon extending radially outwardly of the patient proximal opening for retaining the patient proximal opening in a position for normal use in an open position for flow of bowel waste through the patient proximal opening; a connector assembly in communication with a distal end of the third catheter section; and a closure portion for selectively closing off the distal end of the third catheter section.
-
Specification