Systems and methods for cleaning body cavities

Abstract

This application presents methods and devices for continuously cleaning a colon by at least partially filling a segment of the colon with liquid and agitating the fluid to dislodge matter adhering to the colon walls. Methods for automatic maintenance of liquid levels in the colon during continuous cleaning are taught.

Description

[0001] related application [0002] This application is a PCT application claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 378,432, filed August 31, 2010, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 354,226, filed June 13, 2010, the contents of which are adopted by This reference is hereby incorporated in its entirety. technical field [0003] The present application, in some embodiments thereof, relates to devices and methods for cleaning body cavities, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to devices and methods for cleaning the human colon. Background technique [0004] The use of enemas to cleanse a portion of the colon has been known for centuries. An enema usually injects water through a short nozzle into the rectum and cleans up to about 60 cm of the lower colon (sigmoid). The "hydrotherapy" system using a short nozzle that injects purified water into the human colon up to the cecum (150-180cm) is able to cleanse the entire colon. The proces...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The process takes an hour per session, and in some cases, several cleansing sessions are required

For this reason, the procedure can be uncomfortable and inconvenient

Early attempts to insert longer flexible tubes into the cecum to enhance the cleaning process, without the use of cameras or other visual guidance systems and often by operators without proper training, were found to injure the cecal wall, sometimes resulting in fatal perforation

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