Ostomy appliance having an alarm for sensed moisture

Abstract

An ostomy appliance includes a first adhesive having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface. The first surface is provided to contact a partly electrically conductive object. The appliance also includes a first layer situated on the second surface of the first adhesive, and a first electrode situated on the first layer and electrically isolated from the first adhesive.

1 . An ostomy appliance comprising:
 a base plate comprising:
 an adhesive having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, the first surface configured to contact and adhere to an at least partly electrically conductive object, wherein the at least partly electrically conductive object is a skin surface of a user; and 
 a leak sensor configured to sense moisture absorbed by the adhesive; and 
   a reader unit in communication with the leak sensor, the reader unit configured to provide an alarm corresponding to the sensed moisture absorbed by the adhesive.   
     
     
         2 . The ostomy appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the reader unit is detachable from the base plate. 
     
     
         3 . The ostomy appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the alarm is at least one of: a vibration, a sound, a light indication, or a color indication. 
     
     
         4 . The ostomy appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the alarm corresponds to a leak of the base plate sensed by the leak sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The ostomy appliance of  claim 1 , wherein, to provide the alarm, the reader unit sends the alarm via a wireless signal to an event handling device. 
     
     
         6 . The ostomy appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the event handling device is a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a laptop, or a personal computer. 
     
     
         7 . A reader unit for an ostomy appliance, the reader unit comprising:
 an energy source configured to power the reader unit;   a circuit in communication with a leak sensor of a base plate of the ostomy appliance, the circuit configured to:
 receive a signal from the leak sensor, the signal corresponding to a moisture absorbed by an adhesive of the base plate and sensed by the leak sensor; 
 process the signal comprising at least one of: demodulating the signal or modulating the signal; and 
   a controller configured to:
 receive the signal from the circuit; and 
 provide an alarm corresponding to sensed moisture absorbed by the adhesive of the base plate. 
   
     
     
         8 . The reader unit of  claim 7 , wherein the reader unit is detachable from the ostomy appliance. 
     
     
         9 . The reader unit of  claim 7 , wherein the alarm is at least one of: a vibration, a sound, a light indication, or a color indication. 
     
     
         10 . The reader unit of  claim 7 , wherein the alarm corresponds to a leak of the base plate sensed by the leak sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The reader unit of  claim 7 , wherein, to provide the alarm, the controller is configured to send the alarm via a wireless signal to an event handling device. 
     
     
         12 . The reader unit of  claim 11 , wherein the event handling device is a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a laptop, or a personal computer. 
     
     
         13 . A method for providing an alarm for an ostomy appliance, the method comprising:
 receiving a signal from a leak sensor of a base plate of the ostomy appliance, the signal corresponding to a moisture absorbed by an adhesive of the base plate and sensed by the leak sensor;   processing the signal comprising at least one of: demodulating the signal or modulating the signal; and   providing an alarm corresponding to sensed moisture absorbed by the base plate.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the reader unit is detachable from the base plate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the alarm is at least one of: a vibration, a sound, a light indication, or a color indication. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the alarm corresponds to a leak of the base plate sensed by the leak sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein providing the alarm comprises sending the alarm via a wireless signal to an event handling device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the event handling device is a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, a laptop, or a personal computer.