Ostomy monitoring system and method

Abstract

An ostomy bag can include one or more sensors for measuring one or more metrics. An ostomy wafer can also include one or more sensors for measuring one or more metrics. The sensors can be temperature sensors and/or capacitive sensors, for example, and the metrics can include bag fill, leakage, skin irritation, and phase of stoma output, among others.

1 . An ostomy bag comprising:
 two walls joined together around at least a portion of an edge of the ostomy bag, a first one of the walls configured to be placed facing skin of a user and a second one of the walls configured to face away from the user when the first wall faces the skin of the user;   an opening in the first wall, the opening configured to be disposed around a stoma of the user and to receive effluent from the stoma, wherein the opening is located near a portion of the seam and further away from a portion of the two walls that are not sealed defining a drain opening; and   a sensor layer disposed in, on, or between one of the two walls of the ostomy bag, the sensor layer having a first portion located closer to the opening and a second portion located further away from the opening and closer to the drain opening, the sensor layer comprising a plurality of temperature sensors and a plurality of capacitive sensors, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors are distributed across the first and second portions, and wherein the plurality of capacitive sensors are distributed across the second portion,   the sensor layer further comprising one or more wireless communication antennas, wherein when in use, the one or more antennas are in electrical communication with one or more antennas on an ostomy wafer configured to couple the first one of the walls of the ostomy bag to the skin of the user, and/or one or more processors on a user device.   
     
     
         2 . The ostomy bag of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor layer is generally rectangular. 
     
     
         3 . The ostomy bag of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor layer is smaller than the two walls. 
     
     
         4 . The ostomy bag of  claim 1 , wherein the capacitive sensors are arranged in a pattern of lines, at least some of the lines being at non-90 degree angles with respect to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The ostomy bag of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensors are arranged in a matrix circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The ostomy bag of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of capacitive sensors comprise 24 capacitive sensors. 
     
     
         7 . The ostomy bag of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of temperature sensors comprise 48 temperature sensors. 
     
     
         8 . The ostomy bag of  claim 1 , wherein the drain opening is closed by a Velcro connector. 
     
     
         9 . The ostomy bag of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the plurality of capacitive sensors is located on an opposite surface of the sensor layer from the temperature sensors and a remainder of the capacitive sensors, the at least one of the plurality of capacitive sensors facing away from the user. 
     
     
         10 . The ostomy bag of  claim 9 , wherein a first part of the Velcro connector comprises a metallic tape, the at least one of the plurality of capacitive sensors configured to detect a capacitance change when the first part is detached from a second part of the Velcro connector so as to detect a drain event. 
     
     
         11 . The ostomy bag of  claim 10 , wherein the bag comprises a plurality of layers, a layer that is between the metallic tape and the at least one of the plurality of capacitive sensors facing away from the user when the first part of the Velcro connector is attached to the second part comprising one or more openings to allow direct contact between the metallic tape and the at least one of the plurality of capacitive sensors facing away from the user. 
     
     
         12 . The ostomy bag of  claim 10 , wherein a first direct or indirect contact between the metallic tape and the at least one of the plurality of capacitive sensors facing away from the user is configured to electronically activate the bag. 
     
     
         13 . The ostomy bag of  claim 1 , further comprising an accelerometer. 
     
     
         14 . The ostomy bag of  claim 1 , further comprising a Bluetooth module. 
     
     
         15 . An ostomy bag comprising:
 two walls joined together around at least a portion of an edge of the ostomy bag, a first one of the walls configured to be placed facing skin of a user and a second one of the walls configured to face away from the user when the first wall faces the skin of the user;   an opening in the first wall, the opening configured to be disposed around a stoma of the user and to receive effluent from the stoma, wherein the opening is located near a portion of the seam and further away from portion of the two walls that are not sealed defining a drain opening;   a connector having a first part extending from the drain opening of the two walls and a second part located on a surface of the second one of the walls, the first and second parts being complementary to each other so that the first part, when folded over the second one of the walls, can be releasably secured onto the second part;   a sensor layer disposed in, on, or between one of the two walls of the ostomy bag, the sensor layer comprising a sensor near the drain opening and facing the second one of the walls, the sensor configured to detect when the first part is detached from the second part of the connector so as to detect a drain event,   the sensor layer further comprising one or more wireless communication antennas, wherein when in use, the one or more antennas are in electrical communication with one or more antennas on an ostomy wafer configured to couple the first one of the walls of the ostomy bag to the skin of the user, and/or one or more processors on a user device.   
     
     
         16 . The ostomy bag of  claim 15 , wherein the connector comprises a magnets. 
     
     
         17 . The ostomy bag of  claim 15 , wherein the connector is a Velcro connector. 
     
     
         18 . The ostomy bag of  claim 17 , wherein the first part of the connector comprises a metallic component. 
     
     
         19 . The ostomy bag of  claim 17 , wherein the sensor comprises a distance sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The ostomy bag of  claim 18 , wherein the sensor near the drain opening is configured to detect a capacitance change when the metallic component is no longer in contact with the sensor as the first part is detached from the second part. 
     
     
         21 . The ostomy bag of  claim 20 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one capacitive sensor. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The ostomy bag of  claim 20 , wherein a first direct or indirect contact between the metallic component and the sensor near the drain opening is configured to electronically activate the bag. 
     
     
         25 .- 100 . (canceled)