Equipment for delivering a liquid into a body stoma

Claim 2

Equipment for use in delivering a liquid into a body stoma, comprising a cup adapted to engage the body surface surrounding the stoma, a catheter extended through the cup and adapted to be inserted into the stoma, the cup having an open edge in spaced relation to the catheter, and vacuum means for retaining the equipment in position when applied to a patient comprising an outer wall cooperating with the cup to define an open-sided vacuum chamber at least in large part surrounding said cup and with its open side adapted to be presented toward the body, the vacuum chamber having a vacuum passage therethrough adapted to be connected to a vacuum producing means and thereby provide for adherence of the equipment to the body by pressure reduction in the vacuum chamber.

Claim 3

Equipment according to claim 1 in which the cup and the outer wall are interconnected with the portion of the catheter extended through the cup and in which the cup, vacuum chamber and said portion of the catheter are formed of substantially rigid material to provide for maintenance of the positional relationship of these parts during use including pressure reduction in the vacuum chamber.

Claim 4

Equipment as defined in claim 2 in which the rigid material of which the cup, outer wall and interconnected portion of the catheter are formed is radiolucent, the equipment further including a radio-opaque marker associated with the catheter in a position adapted to indicate the location of the stoma into which the catheter is inserted.

Claim 5

Equipment according to claim 1 in which the cup and the outer wall are relatively positioned to provide an annular open-sided vacuum chamber surrounding the cup to provide for vacuum adherence of the equipment at all sides of the cup.

Claim 6

Equipment according to claim 1 in which the edge of the cup is shaped to fit the gluteal cleft surrounding the anus and in which the catheter is adapted to be inserted into the intestine through the anus, and further in which the outer wall is shaped to provide a vacuum chamber having openings presented toward the buttocks at opposite sides of the anus.

Claim 7

Equipment according to claim 1 in which the edge of the cup is shaped to fit the abdominal wall surrounding one of the stomata of a multiple stoma colostomy, and in which the cup and the outer wall are relatively positioned to provide a vacuum chamber which is eccentrically disposed with respect to the cup and thereby provide the principal vacuum adherence of the equipment to the body surface toward one side of the stoma into which the catheter is inserted in an area offset from the other stoma of the colostomy.

Claim 8

Equipment for use in rectally administering enemas comprising a catheter for insertion into the intestine through the anus, and mechanism for retaining the equipment in position as applied to a patient including a vacuum device having walls shaped to fiT the gluteal cleft and defining a vacuum compartment with extended open areas adapted to be presented toward the buttocks when the device is positioned in the gluteal cleft and thereby provide for vacuum adherence of the device to the buttocks the catheter being extended through said device between said open areas and having a liquid supply connection extended in a direction transverse to the direction of extension of said open areas so that when the equipment is applied the supply connection extends parallel to the gluteal cleft.

Claim 9

Equipment for use in rectally administering enemas comprising a catheter for insertion into the intestine through the anus, and mechanism for retaining the equipment in position as applied to a patient including a vacuum device having walls shaped to fiT the gluteal cleft and defining a vacuum compartment with extended open areas adapted to be presented toward the buttocks when the device is positioned in the gluteal cleft and thereby provide for vacuum adherence of the device to the buttocks the catheter being extended through said device between said open areas and having a liquid supply connection extended in a direction transverse to the direction of extension of said open areas so that when the equipment is applied the supply connection extends parallel to the gluteal cleft.

Claim 10

Equipment as defined in claim 7 in which the vacuum device is shaped at its outer side to have a valley adapted to parallel the gluteal cleft when the device is applied to a patient, the liquid supply connection lying in said valley.

Claim 11

Equipment for use in rectally administering enemas comprising a catheter adapted for insertion into the intestine through the anus, a cup having a cup wall sealed against the catheter and having a free edge extended in spaced relation around the catheter, said free edge being contoured in a manner generally conforming with the topography of the gluteal cleft to provide for engagement with the walls of the cleft in spaced relation to the anus, and vacuum means for retaining the equipment in position when applied to a patient comprising an outer wall extended in spaced relation around said cup and cooperating with the cup to define a vacuum compartment therebetween, said outer wall having a free edge spaced from the free edge of the cup, the free edge of said wall also being contoured in a manner generally conforming with the topography of the gluteal cleft so as to engage the walls of the cleft in spaced relation to the line of engagement of the free edge of the cup with the walls of the gluteal cleft.

Claim 12

Equipment for use in rectally administering enemas comprising a catheter adapted for insertion into the intestine through the anus, a cup having a cup wall sealed against the catheter and having a free edge extended in spaced relation around the catheter, said free edge being contoured in a manner generally conforming with the topography of the gluteal cleft to provide for engagement with the walls of the cleft in spaced relation to the anus, and vacuum means for retaining the equipment in position when applied to a patient comprising an outer wall extended in spaced relation around said cup and cooperating with the cup to define a vacuum compartment therebetween, said outer wall having a free edge spaced from the free edge of the cup, the free edge of said wall also being contoured in a manner generally conforming with the topography of the gluteal cleft so as to engage the walls of the cleft in spaced relation to the line of engagement of the free edge of the cup with the walls of the gluteal cleft.

Claim 13

Equipment for use in rectally administering enemas comprising a catheter adapted for insertion into the intestine through the anus, a cup having a cup wall sealed against the catheter and having a free edge extended in spaced relation around the catheter and adapted to engage the walls of the gluteal cleft in spaced relation to the anus, and vacuum means for retaining the equipment in position when applied to a patient comprising an outer wall extended in spaced relation around said cup and cooperating with the cup to define a vacuum compartment therebetween, the outer wall being shaped to define a vacuum compartment having areas or wings extended at opposite sides of the catheter and adapted to overlie the buttock areas at opposite sides of the gluteal cleft when the equipment is applied, and the free edge of said outer wall being contoured in a manner generally conforming with the topography of the gluteal cleft and thereby provide a vacuum seal with said buttock areas when the equipment is applied.

Claim 14

Equipment for use in rectally administering enemas comprising a catheter adapted for insertion into the intestine through the anus, a cup having a cup wall sealed against the catheter and having a free edge extended in spaced relation around the catheter and adapted to engage the walls of the gluteal cleft in spaced relation to the anus, and vacuum means for retaining the equipment in position when applied to a patient comprising an outer wall extended in spaced relation around said cup and cooperating with the cup to define a vacuum compartment therebetween, the outer wall being shaped to define a vacuum compartment having areas or wings extended at opposite sides of the catheter and adapted to overlie the buttock areas at opposite sides of the gluteal cleft when the equipment is applied, and the free edge of said outer wall being contoured in a manner generally conforming with the topography of the gluteal cleft and thereby provide a vacuum seal with said buttock areas when the equipment is applied.

Claim 15

Equipment as defined in claim 10 in which said outer wall has a vacuum passage therethrough adapted to be connected to a vacuum producing means.

Claim 16

Equipment as defined in claim 10 in which said cup, outer wall and the portion of the catheter adapted to be inserted into the rectum are formed of substantially rigid material to provide for maintenance of the positional relationship of these parts during use including pressure reduction in the vacuum compartment.

Claim 17

Equipment as defined in claim 10 in which the catheter includes a rigid portion of sufficient length to extend into the rectum, and further including a flexible catheter tip adapted to extend from the end of the rigid portion into the intestine.