BOWEL IRRIGATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

摘要

The present invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating irrigation of the bowel, particularly useful for conditions where a patient has had a colostomy. The apparatus comprises a vessel in the form of a flexible bag which is mounted in a solid walled container. Variable pressure is applied, by an air pump, between the walls of the container and the vessel in order to cause irrigant to be introduced to an intestine via an irrigation member within the flexible bag. The variable pressure is reversed to facilitate an evacuation operation, once the irrigant has been introduced, the flexible bag being arranged to receive the matter expelled from the bowel. There is further disclosed the use of pressure applied to the abdomen to assist in peristalsis within the intestines and the use of a vibrational arrangement in a bowel irrigation apparatus. A control system is also disclosed, comprising a computational device for controlling the bowel irrigation.