Device incorporating a hollow element for being positioned along a body cavity of a patient and method of positioning the same

摘要

There is provided apparatus (14) incorporating an elongate hollow element (22) for being positioned along a body cavity of a patient. The hollow element has a leading region and a trailing region and is arranged for being progressively everted along the hollow element from the leading region to thereby be increasingly extended for progressively lining the body cavity as the trailing region follows along. The apparatus generally further comprises an enclosure comprising an insertion head (16) for being inserted into an entrance of the body cavity and a flexible bag (18) in which the hollow element is housed. The hollow element is extended from the insertion head by increasing pressure within the enclosure. Methods for positioning the hollow element along the body are disclosed. The apparatus is particularly suitable for use as a tamponade device for use in the lower gastrointestinal tract for stemming internal bleeding.