INDWELLING DRAINAGE APPLIANCE FOR BODY WASTE

摘要

An indwelling drainage appliance having an indwelling portion insertable into a natural or artificial body opening for drainage therethrough, an inflatable balloon cuff at the indwelling portion for engaging internal body tissue in use, and a sensor for directly or indirectly sensing the inflation status of the balloon. The sensor may generate an electronic signal fed from the sensor by one or more wires, or a wireless signal, or an optical signal fed by an optical fiber. A processing circuit is configured to process the signal generated by the sensor, in order to derive fill status information therefrom. The appliance may be an intestinal appliance for insertion through the abdominal wall into the intestine at the cecal valve, or it may be a rectal or urinary tract waste management appliance.