Colostomy bag cleaning system

Abstract

A closed drainage system for irrigating colostomy bags wherein the bag is irrigated and cleaned while in its operable position associated with the person. More specifically, the invention mounts a manifold within the colostomy bag with an access to a water pressure from outside, the manifold providing a spray dispersion of fluid, or water preferably, at the top of the bag and gravity then drips it down through the bag and out the open bottom, preferably with the residue of the bag being washed out by the water and passing into a toilet where the user flushes the bag to completion of cleaning with all residue from the bag passing into the toilet. A water source from the toilet itself, or other suitable water supply, provides the pressured water to the manifold inside the top of the colostomy bag.

1 . An irrigating and cleansing system for a colostomy bag comprising, 
 a colostomy bag having a bottom drain opening, a stoma opening, and a supply opening defined therein; which is characterized by a manifold having a plurality of substantially equally spaced openings connected to the supply opening and positioned at or above the stoma opening, said manifold being formed by heat sealing a line mirroring the top edge of the bag and having holes randomly formed in the heat-sealed line, and    means to provide a fluid under pressure into the manifold, whereby such fluid is sprayed in a fairly fine but large spray pattern in multiple and random directions throughout the upper portion of the bag and drains down and out the bottom drain opening.    
   
   
       2 . The irrigating and cleansing system for a colostomy bag according to  claim 1 , wherein a one-way valve is at the bag opening and prevents reverse flow of fluids.  
   
   
       3 . An irrigating and cleansing system for a colostomy bag comprising: 
 a colostomy bag having a bottom drain opening, a stoma opening, and a water supply opening at the top of the bag, said bag being formed of two essentially similarly shaped sides that are held together by a first heat-sealed line around and adjacent to the perimeter of the sides to form the bag,    a second heat-sealed line formed between the sides essentially mirroring the perimeter shape around the top periphery of the bag to divide the bag into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, with a stoma opening and a bottom drain opening connecting into the lower chamber, and the water supply opening connecting into the upper chamber, said upper chamber acting as a manifold in conjunction with the water supply thereto,    a plurality of randomly positioned passages through the second heat seal line to connect between the upper and lower chambers, and    a means to provide a fluid under pressure into the manifold, whereby such fluid is sprayed in a fairly fine but large spray pattern in multiple and random directions throughout the lower chamber of the bag and drains down and out the bottom drain opening.    
   
   
       4 . The irrigating and cleansing system for a colostomy bag according to Claim wherein the randomly positioned passages are between 14 and 24 in number and between 0.05 and 0.12 inches in diameter.  
   
   
       5 . The irrigating and cleansing system for a colostomy bag according to  claim 3 , which includes means to fold the bag on itself and hold the bag in a position where it is approximately half the length of the full length bag.  
   
   
       6 . An irrigating and cleansing system for a colostomy bag according to  claim 3  wherein at least two of the randomly positioned passages provide a fluid spray through the passage immediately adjacent to the first heat-sealed line.