Ostomy attachment

Abstract

An ostomy attachment comprises a flexible annular seal configured to embrace a stoma and a spout that in use is disposed beneath the stoma and configured to collect ostomy output at skin level and direct ostomy output away from the patient and annular seal and into an ostomy bag, in which the flexible annular seal is formed from an absorbent material and the spout is formed from a non-absorbent material. The annular seal may be an open ring comprising at least one mouldable arm that in use can be wrapped at least partially around the patients' stoma.

1 . A spout for an ostomy attachment that in use is disposed beneath a stoma and configured to collect ostomy output at skin level and direct ostomy output away from the patient and into an ostomy bag, in which the spout is formed from a non-absorbent material. 
     
     
         2 . The spout as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spout is an open spout. 
     
     
         3 . The spout as claimed in  claim 1  in which the spout comprises a partially annular inner rim portion configured to engage with a rim portion of a flexible annular seal, in which the partially annular inner rim portion of the spout is flexible to allow it to conform to a non-uniform stoma. 
     
     
         4 . The spout as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the partially annular inner rim of the spout is thin and optionally angled to optimise collection of ostomy output and delivery of ostomy output directly into the ostomy bag. 
     
     
         5 . The spout as claimed in  claim 3  in which the annular seal is an open ring comprising at least one mouldable arm that in use can be wrapped at least partially around the stoma. 
     
     
         6 . The spout as claimed in  claim 3  in which the annular seal comprises two mouldable arms configured for in-situ adjustment to fully embrace the stoma. 
     
     
         7 . The spout as claimed in  claim 3  in which the annular seal comprises a closed ring which is resiliently deformable. 
     
     
         8 . The spout as claimed in any preceding  claim 3  in which the annular seal is formed from an absorbent material. 
     
     
         9 . The spout as claimed in  claim 8  in which the absorbent material is a hydrocolloid material. 
     
     
         10 . The spout as claimed in  claim 3  in which the spout covers an external surface of a lower part of the annular seal. 
     
     
         11 . The spout as claimed in  claim 1  in which an underside of the spout comprises a partially annular slot configured for engagement with a mouth of an ostomy bag. 
     
     
         12 . The spout as claimed in  claim 3  in which the annular seal is flexible to allow it to conform to a non-uniform stoma. 
     
     
         13 . The spout as claimed in  claim 3 , in which the spout is detachably attachable to the annular seal. 
     
     
         14 . A method for attaching an ostomy bag to a patient with a stoma, which method employs an ostomy bag having an aperture for receipt of ostomy output, an annular seal, and a spout according to  claim 1 , the method comprising placing the annular seal on the patient such that the annular seal at least partially surrounds the patients' stoma and attaching the spout to the annular seal to provide an ostomy attachment, wherein the spout on the ostomy attachment is disposed below the patients' stoma, and attaching the ostomy bag to the ostomy attachment. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14  in which the annular seal of the ostomy attachment is an open ring in which the open ring comprises at least one mouldable arm that in use can be wrapped at least partially around the patients' stoma, the method comprising the additional step of moulding the at least one mouldable arm around at least part of the patients' stoma. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 14  in which the annular seal comprises two mouldable arms configured for in-situ adjustment to fully embrace the patients' stoma, the method comprising the additional step of moulding the two mouldable arms around the patients' stoma. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 14  in which an underside of the spout comprises a partially annular slot configured for engagement with the ostomy bag, in which the step of attaching the bag to the ostomy attachment includes a step of engaging part of the bag with the slot on the underside of the spout. 
     
     
         18 . A method of attaching an ostomy bag to a patient with a stoma, which method employs an ostomy bag having an aperture for receipt of ostomy output, an annular seal, and a spout according to  claim 1 , the method comprising attaching the spout to the annular seal to provide an ostomy attachment, placing the ostomy attachment on the patient such that the annular seal at least partially surrounds the patients' stoma and the spout is disposed below the stoma, and attaching the ostomy bag to the ostomy attachment. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18  in which the annular seal of the ostomy attachment is an open ring in which the open ring comprises at least one mouldable arm that in use can be wrapped at least partially around the patients' stoma, the method comprising the additional step of moulding the at least one mouldable arm around at least part of the patients' stoma. 
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 18  in which the annular seal comprises two mouldable arms configured for in-situ adjustment to fully embrace the patients' stoma, the method comprising the additional step of moulding the two mouldable arms around the patients' stoma. 
     
     
         21 . A method as claimed in  claim 18  in which an underside of the spout comprises a partially annular slot configured for engagement with the ostomy bag, in which the step of attaching the bag to the ostomy attachment includes a step of engaging part of the bag with the slot on the underside of the spout.