Apparatus and method for treatment of bowel impaction

A method for treatment of a bowel impaction, the method comprising:

• inserting an apparatus into a patient's rectum, said apparatus comprising:
• a first tong element and a second tong element forming a pair of tong elements, the pair of tong elements pivotally connected at a junction point and movable between an opened position and a closed position;
• each tong element defining a distal end and a proximal end and a body extending therebetween;
• and
• the distal end of the first tong element defining a first collection half element and the distal end of the second tong element defining a second collection half element, wherein (i) the first collection half element and the second collection half element form a collection element when the pair of tong elements are in the closed position, (ii) the collection element defining an inwardly facing cavity, (iii) a plurality of grasping teeth are defined on both an interior of the first collection half element and an interior of the second collection half element, and (iv) each of the plurality of grasping teeth is angled backward towards the junction point such that for each grasping tooth of the plurality of grasping teeth, a distal end oriented surface of the grasping tooth is larger than a proximal end oriented surface of the grasping tooth,
• wherein the plurality of grasping teeth define laterally extending substantially parabolic shapes that span across the interior of the first collection half element or the second collection half element, wherein the laterally extending substantially parabolic shape of a first tooth of the plurality of grasping teeth is positioned distally adjacent to the laterally extending substantially parabolic shape of a second tooth of the plurality of grasping teeth defining a laterally extending substantially parabolic gap between a proximal base of the first tooth of the plurality of grasping teeth and a distal base of the second tooth of the plurality of grasping teeth, and
• wherein each grasping tooth of the plurality of grasping teeth defines a laterally extending substantially parabolic grasping edge between the proximal end oriented surface and the distal end oriented surface;
• actuating the pair of tong elements into the opened position and further advancing the pair of tong elements into the patient's rectum such that at least a portion of the bowel impaction is encapsulated between the first collection half element and the second collection half element;
• actuating the pair of tong elements into the closed position to encapsulate at least a portion of the bowel impaction within the collection element;
• and
• removing the apparatus from the patient's rectum.