GB2084879A - Body fluid bag holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A holder for a body fluid bag such as an incontinence bag comprises a pouch 1 or backing member for supporting the bag with straps 10 adapted to be secured around the waist of the wearer and straps 11 adapted to be secured around the wearers leg. The pouch or backing member and straps are such that a drainage bag 5, when inserted into the pouch 1 or secured to the backing member, is held at a lower level than the exit from the bladder or other source of body fluid. The holder is advantageously made of cotton or other non- allergic material. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Body fluid bag holder This invention relates to holders for body fluid bags, especially for urinary incontinence bag.

Incontinence is a common problem which may occur, for example post-operatively (e.g.

after urological surgery), or post-natally, or may be a chronic condition, especially for example in geriatric or mentally subnormal persons.

It is usual to drain urine from the urethra via a tube, usually of plastics or rubber material, the tube being either internally fixed to the patient (i.e. catheterised) or secured externally (e.g. by a penile sheath in males).

The urine is normally drained into a collecting vessel which, for a bedridden person or during the night, can be a bedside receptacle, but such a method is unsuitable for ambulatory patients.

It is common therefore to drain the urine into a bag (conveniently of plastics material) secured to the person, so that the drainage system is self-contained and the person can move around freely.

To ensure efficient drainage of urine into the collecting bag it is desirable for the bag to be secured at a lower level than the position of the bladder within the body, and thus such collecting bags have previously most often been secured to the leg of the person by means of straps. This method has several disadvantages. Fixation to the leg must involve fairly tight fastening to avoid slipping of the bag whilst the person moves around, and this can cause discomfort. To ensure secure positioning of the bag flexible straps, e.g. of rubber, are often used, and this is a disadvantage if the person involved has a skin allergy to rubber and like materials. Furthermore, certain persons also have allergies to plastics materials so that the placing of the incontinence bag itself against the skin may cause problems.

It has therefore been proposed to suspend the collecting bag from the waist of the person via a waistband or belt, but this method of fixation has been found to have two serious disadvantages. The level of fixation is generally too high, being higher than the level of the bladder, so that efficient drainage is not possible. Also, the bag, being secured only to the waistband or belt has a tendency to move about while the patient is moving, causing discomfort and, potentially, embarrassment.

The present invention provides a holder for a body fluid drainage bag such as a urinary incontinence bag, the holder comprising a pouch or backing member suitable for supporting the bag, and having attached thereto one or more first straps adapted to be secured around the waist of the wearer, and one or more second straps at a position remote from the said first straps adapted to be secured around the leg of the wearer, the pouch or backing member and straps being so dimensioned and disposed that a drainage bag, when inserted into the pouch or secured to the backing member, is held at a lower level than the exit from the wearer's bladder or other source of fluid.

The holder according to the invention thus provides, at the same time, the advantages of both waist-level and leg fixation, whilst mitigating or eliminating the disadvantages associated with these methods. The siting of the bag at a lower level than the bladder exit ensures efficient drainage of urine into the bag or other source of fluid. Also, the leg straps ensure that undesired movement of the bag as previously associated with waist-level fixation, is avoided.

Although the invention is principally concerned with holders for incontinence bags, it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to holders for any type of body fluid drainage bag used on persons in a medical context. Examples of other fluids which may be collected in the bag according to the invention include faecal matter, bile, drainage from wounds, etc.

The pouch or backing member and straps can be made of any suitable material, but are advantageously made of cotton, cotton mixtures or other non-allergenic material so as to enable the system to be used on persons having allergies to rubber and/or plastics. If desired, the straps, especially those for fixing round the leg, may be wholly or partly of elastic having a limited degree of stretch.

We prefer that the holder supports the bag in a pouch, pocket or the like which at least partly encloses the bag. The pouch may be a preformed member into which the bag is inserted, or may be formed by folding one or more flaps around the bag and securing the free ends by releasable fixing means such as press studs, hooks, buckles, buttons, zip fasteners, velcro or peelable contact adhesive.

Alternatively the bag may be supported on a backing member to which it is attached by releasable fixing means, e.g. as mentioned above. In either case, the bag itself does not come in contact with the leg, thus improving the comfort of the device, especially in persons having an allergy to plastics materials.

The pouch or backing member preferably leaves exposed a drainage cock, valve, stopper or the like near the bottom of the bag, so that the bag can be drained without removing it from the holder.

The bottom of the bag may be angled or shaped so as to prevent its insertion into the holder upside down, to assist in efficient drainage and to minimise residual urine remaining after emptying. Such residual urine tends to breed infections.

Two embodiment of the invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show two holders according to the invention each having an incontinence bag secured therein.

Referring first to Fig. 1 a pouch 1 made of for example cotton, has an upper portion 2 provided with buttons 3 and tabs 4 to assist in retaining the bag 5. The tab on the left is shown unfastened, and that on the right, fastened. The pouch may be of generally rectangular shape, as shown, but it is of course possible to make the pouch of any desired shape, to suit that of the drainage bag to be used.

The drainage tube 6 is retained by a loop of material 7. A strap 8 made of soft cotton webbing passes through a tunnel 9 formed in the material of a pouch, the strap being of sufficient length to enable it to be secured around the patient's waist. Velcro patches 10 are provided as a convenient means of fastening although any other means such as buckles etc. may be used, if desired. Straps 11 are secured to the bottom of the pouch, and these are of sufficient length to enable them to extend round the person's leg. Velcro patches are provided here also, although again any convenient fastening could be employed. The straps may be of flexible material, e.g. rubber if desired, but are advantageously also of cotton or elasticised cotton, to avoid problems in patients allergic to rubber and like materials against the skin.

Aperture 13 provided in the bottom of the pouch leaves exposed the drainage cock 14 to allow emptying of the bag without the need for removal from the pouch.

The pouch 1 is made so that its upper portion 2 is of such a length as to ensure that the bag 5 is held in the pouch at a lower level than the patient's crotch, and that the straps 11 may be secured in a convenient position on the thigh.

In the modified embodiment shown in Fig.

2, the bottom of the pouch is angled at 15 and the aperture 13 is situated at the lowermost corner of the pouch. The straps 8 and 11 are arranged to fasten adjacent the bag, at the front of the patient (assuming the bags is worn on the left leg). This mode of fastening is particularly convenient for the patient.

Moreover the drainage tube 6 passes under strap 4. Thus when button 3 and the velcro fastening 16 are undone the bag 5 may be removed from the pouch without disconnecting it from the tube 6. This is a convenient feature when it is desired to change the holder without any risk of urine spillage or contamination.

Claims (11)

1. A holder for a body drainage bag comprising a pouch or backing member suitable for supporting the bag and having attached thereto one or more first straps adapted to be secured around the waist of a peson wearing the bag, and one or more second straps at a position remote from the said first straps adapted to be secured around the person's leg, the pouch or backing member and straps being so dimensioned and disposed that a drainage bag, when inserted into the pouch or secured to the backing member, is held at a lower level than the exit from the person's bladder or other source of fluid.

2. A holder according to claim 1 including a preformed pouch adapted to at least partly enclose a drainage bag.

3. A holder according to claim 2 wherein said pouch has an angled bottom and an aperture at the lowermost corner for the passage of a drain tube for emptying said bag.

4. A holder according to claim 2 or 3 having straps to retain said drainage bag in said pouch.

5. A holder according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said straps is arranged to secure also a drainage tube conveying fluid to said bag.

6. A holder according to claim 1 comprising one or more flaps which may be folded around a drainage bag and the free end of the flaps secured by releasable fixing means, so as to provide support for the bag.

7. A holder according to claim 1 including a backing member to which a drainage bag may be attached by releasable fixing means.

8. A holder according to any preceding claim wherein the pouch or backing member and straps are made of cotton or a cotton mixture.

9. A device useful for receiving and collecting urine or other body fluid comprising a holder as claimed in any preceding claim, a drainage bag fixed thereto or supported thereby, and means for channeling said urine or other body fluid from the source thereof into the drainage bag.

10. A holder for a body fluid drainage bag substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A device for receiving and collecting a body fluid substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.