Colostomy bag cleaning system

#A colostomy is a surgical procedure in which the colon or a portion thereof is removed and the digestive tract is attached to an opening created in the abdominal wall, thereby, allowing digested waste to pass through the abdomen. Typically, the waste is then collected by an impervious bag that is secured over the opening. The opening that results from a colonectomy is known as an “ostomy” or a “stoma,” and the impervious bag that collects the digestive waste is known as a colostomy bag.

#An individual who has had a colostomy must typically remove and empty the colostomy bag several times a day, and must irrigate the ostomy at least every other day to maintain good health and sanitation. An ostomy is irrigated by applying flowing water into the ostomy and then allowing the water to drain.

#Examples of ostomy irrigating devices in the prior art or cleansing systems are provided by U.S. patent application Publication No. US2003/0229324, which features a closed drainage system that eliminates the necessity to stand over a toilet, as it has its own collection system, but it is a difficult system to use and almost requires the person to be lying down as illustrated in FIG. 1 for any satisfactory use. U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,861 illustrates a urine bag cleaning manifold, which is a very complicated system associated with a shower in a bathtub, and again, is difficult to operate and very elaborate in design. U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,389 teaches an ostomy bag cleaning device that incorporates a mechanism for introducing water into a colostomy bag and then evacuate the waste material into a storage chamber. This device is cumbersome to use and does not provide for a simple cleaning of the colostomy bag without removal from the person.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the colostomy bag utilizing a manifold around the flanged opening on the bag itself, which then attaches to the flanged fitting or ring positioned on the body of the person, and snaps together to form a fluid-tight seal between the bag and the person;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration showing a stick figure utilizing the invention by irrigating and flushing the colostomy bag by controlling a valve from the water supply to the toilet with the bottom of the colostomy bag open and flow taking place from the manifold through the bag and into the toilet;

#FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of the manifold associated with the flanged ring and adhesive backed patch for attachment to a person, for engaging in a snapped fluid-tight relationship with the fitting on the colostomy bag, but wherein the manifold is associated with the flanged fitting or ring on the colostomy; and

#Referring now to FIG. 1, of the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a colostomy bag, which has an inlet opening 12 that is surrounded by a plastic ring 14 and attached in a fluid-tight fashion to the bag 10 by suitable means, such as adhesively or by other suitable known means. The ring 14 is formed with a flange that is designed to mate with a similarly formed ring and flange 14A on the person mounted colostomy bag attachment patch 16. The patch 16 is attached by pressure-sensitive adhesive on the back of the patch itself and the respective ring flanges 14 and 14A when snapped together form a fluid-tight seal between the ostomy 18 and the interior of the colostomy bag 10.

#The irrigating and cleansing technique of the invention is provided by a circular manifold, generally indicated by numeral 20, which is preferably a soft plastic and encircles the interior of the opening 12 into the colostomy bag 10. A plurality of small holes or orifices 22 around the perimeter of the manifold 20 are provided to allow the passage of spray in multiple and random directions of water under pressure introduced through an access tube or conduit or access fitting 24 that is connected to a water source not shown via fitting or adaptor 26.

#The colostomy bag 10 in the usual fashion is designed to be opened at the bottom end, generally identified by numeral 30, and effectively, this is a rolled up sealing procedure utilizing hook and loop material indicated by the loop material 32 and the hook material 34. It is well understood that when this is folded up and the hook and loop attachment is in place the bag is sealed at the bottom end, but for the purposes of the irrigation and cleansing of the instant invention, the bag is opened and positioned over the toilet so that irrigation cleansing fluid passing through the manifold 20 and orifices 22 will flow down through the bag and out the bottom end 30 and into the toilet, as is shown in more detail in FIG. 2 of the drawings.