Stool extraction device and stool extraction set provided with stool storage bag

Abstract

A stool extraction device (10) is provided with: an insertion part (14) that is inserted from an anus (11) and brings a tip part (12) into contact with a hard stool (13); a vibration generation part (15) that is disposed outside the anus (11) and vibrates the tip part (12) of the insertion part (14); and a liquid supply part (16) that supplies liquid from the tip part (12) to the hard stool (13). The insertion part (14) has flexibility that allows deformation along the shape of the rectum, and by means of the vibration of the tip part (12), the hard stool (13) and the liquid are mixed to form a mud-like stool. When a storage bag is affixed to the buttocks, the opening of a bag body 46 is automatically expanded by the elastic force of an elastic part for opening, and the discharged mud-like stool is contained therein.

Description

Disimpaction device and disimpaction set with stool storage bag

[0001] The present invention relates to a disimpaction device, and further to a disimpaction set comprising a set of storage bags for storing stool extracted by the disimpaction device.

[0002] When a patient complains of constipation, current treatments include glycerin enemas and manual disimpaction. For example, the patient is placed in a lateral position, and the surgeon inserts an implement or finger into the patient's anus to scrape out the stool. However, if the anus is filled with hard stool, inserting a finger and scraping it out is not easy. To administer an enema, the surgeon carefully inserts the plastic tube attached to the end of the enema syringe about 10 cm into the anus, grasps the syringe's container tightly, and injects glycerin into the rectum. At this time, glycerin begins to flow out of the anus. A rolled-up roll of paper is quickly pressed against the anus, allowing the glycerin to act on the intestinal mucosa, contracting the smooth muscles of the large intestine and initiating defecation. After waiting for about 5–10 minutes, the patient may complain of abdominal pain, which may be due to intestinal spasms. Even if the surgeon holds the anus tight, more glycerin will leak out. When the surgeon releases his or her hand from the anus, a glycerin-covered fecal mass emerges. If the mass stops flowing after a certain amount, the surgeon inserts a finger into the anus to scrape out the remaining feces. During this process, the glycerin solution and feces often leak, soiling the bedding and the surgeon's rubber gloves, and generating a large amount of waste, such as used tissue. Meanwhile, determining whether to perform a glycerin enema is not easy, as it is uncertain whether the patient will be able to defecate after an enema. As an alternative to the above-mentioned technique, various instruments for disimpaction have been proposed. The instrument disclosed in Patent Document 1 inserts a rigid, tubular disimpaction tube into the rectum to extract feces. Other instruments that insert a rigid, tubular member into the rectum to extract feces are also known. Most of these proposals involve storing the solid fecal mass in a tubular member and then removing it.

[0003] The disimpaction device of Patent Document 1 injects a lubricating liquid such as water from around the tip of the disimpaction tube. Among conventional disimpaction devices that supply such lubricating liquid, a structure has been proposed in which water is sprayed in pulses from the tip to break up fecal masses. Patent Document 3 proposes an insertion tool for an excretion treatment device that uses ultrasound. In this device, an ultrasonic horn is placed inside a protective member that can be expanded like a trumpet, and this protective member is housed in a mantle member in a contracted state. During use, the mantle member is inserted into the rectum through the patient's anus, and the mantle member is dissolved or decomposed to expand the protective member. Next, water or the like is supplied into the protective member through the suction nipple, and the ultrasonic horn is vibrated while being sucked through the suction nipple, thereby breaking up the feces and suctioning them out through the suction nipple.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-157628 Utility Model Registration No. 3232394 Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 7-18738

[0005] However, instruments that insert a rigid tube into the rectum to perform disimpaction require a large tube diameter, making them difficult to insert into the patient and expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the rectum, connected to the anus, is actually curved, making rigid tubes unsuitable. Even if such instruments could be used to perform disimpaction, cleaning and reusing them after each use is not easy. Instruments that inject liquids such as water into the stool require the same amount of effort as enemas. Furthermore, instruments that inject pulsed water into the large intestine are dangerous due to the high-pressure water injection, which could lead to accidents such as colon rupture.

[0006] Furthermore, even if ultrasonic instruments can cause slight deformations on the surface of the fecal mass, the fluidity of the stool itself does not increase, and disimpaction is not actually possible. Constipation is common among the elderly, and in nursing homes, managing bowel movements accounts for a large part of the daily work. As the aging population in Japan continues to increase, there is a growing demand for easy-to-operate disimpaction devices.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a disimpaction device that allows easy disimpaction and a disimpaction set that includes a storage bag for the disimpaction device as a set.

[0008] The inventor has been a practicing clinician for nearly 40 years, providing guidance to nurses and occasionally performing disimpaction treatments himself. Based on this experience, he conducted intensive research to solve the above-mentioned problems, leading to the creation of the present invention. The disimpaction device of the present invention comprises an insertion section inserted through the anus and bringing its tip into contact with hard stool; a vibration generating section positioned outside the anus and vibrating the tip of the insertion section; and a liquid supplying section that supplies liquid to the hard stool from the tip of the insertion section. The insertion section is flexible enough to conform to the shape of the rectum when inserted through the anus into the rectum, and the vibration of the tip mixes the hard stool with the liquid, forming a muddy stool. The vibration generating section preferably generates vibrations with an amplitude of approximately 1 mm to 5 mm. According to the disimpaction device of the present invention, the tip of the insertion section is inserted through the anus and brought into contact with the hard stool, and liquid is supplied from the liquid supplying section. In this state, the vibration generating section vibrates the tip of the insertion section, thereby mixing the hard stool with the liquid. This turns hard stools in the rectum and anus into a muddy stool that can be easily expelled from the patient's anus. Moreover, the insertion part that is inserted into the rectum from the anus is flexible enough to conform to the shape of the rectum, making it easy and safe to insert into the rectum from the anus.

[0009] The liquid supply unit preferably includes a liquid supply source located outside the anus and a flexible tube that guides liquid from the liquid supply source to the tip of the insertion unit, and a vibrating plate is located at the tip of the insertion unit, with a protruding piece that protrudes axially from the surface facing the hard stool and comes into direct contact with the hard stool, and the vibration of the vibrating plate mixes the hard stool with the liquid to form muddy stool. The vibrating plate is located at the tip of the flexible tube and has an outlet for the liquid from the flexible tube. With this configuration, liquid can be reliably supplied to the tip of the insertion unit from outside the anus, and by supplying the liquid from the tip and vibrating it against the hard stool, clumps of hard stool are broken up, and the stool and liquid are mixed to form muddy stool.

[0010] The insertion portion has a vibrating flexible conduction shaft connected to the vibration generating unit and a vibration plate provided at the tip of the conduction shaft, and preferably the conduction shaft is housed within a flexible tube, and the conduction shaft and the flexible tube are replaceably connected to the vibration generating unit. With this configuration, the vibration of the vibration generating unit can be reliably transmitted by the conduction shaft to the vibration plate at the tip, making it easier to fluidize hard stool. Because the conduction shaft is housed within the flexible tube, the flexible tube and the conduction shaft can be constructed as a single unit, and the conduction shaft and the flexible tube can be replaceably connected to the vibration generating unit. Therefore, the flexible tube and the conduction shaft can be disposed of and replaced with new ones after each disimpaction procedure.

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, the insertion section and the liquid supply section are configured as a common, integrally formed composite section, which has a flexible tube replaceably connected to the vibration generating section, a vibration plate provided at the tip of the flexible tube, and a liquid outlet provided at the tip of the flexible tube. With this configuration, vibrations from the vibration generating section are reliably transmitted to the vibration plate at the tip by the flexible tube or by liquid present in the flexible tube, and liquid can be supplied from the outlet at the tip to the vibrated hard stool.

[0012] The liquid supply source preferably has a liquid container that can be hung and that contains liquid, and a connecting flow path that allows the liquid to flow down from the liquid container to the flexible tube. By adjusting the hanging height of the liquid container, the liquid pressure of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply unit to the inside of the patient's rectum or anus can be easily adjusted. Thus, hard stools are fluidized at a liquid pressure appropriate for the patient. If the liquid supply unit is configured as an enema container having a storage unit that can store and discharge liquid by pressurizing it, and a flexible tube that is liquid-tightly connected to the storage unit, the fecal disimpaction device can be combined with an enema, expanding the range of applications.

[0013] The disimpaction set of the present invention comprises the above-mentioned disimpaction device and a storage bag for storing stool, which has a bag body and a buttocks-attaching adhesive part that allows the bag body to be attached to the buttocks. By attaching the storage bag around the patient's buttocks and using the disimpaction device, the muddy stool that flows out of the patient's anus can be stored in the storage bag. This makes handling the muddy stool that flows out of the patient's anus very clean and easy. It also makes it possible to measure the amount of stool removed. The storage bag preferably has an opening elastic part that biases the opening of the bag body in the direction of widening. The opening elastic part may be arranged along the upper edge of the bag body, over a range longer than half the circumference of the opening of the bag body. With this configuration, the opening of the bag body can be kept open by the opening elastic part, making it easier to discharge the muddy stool. If the buttocks attachment adhesive portion is provided at a position overlapping the opening elastic portion and in a narrower area than the opening elastic portion, the storage bag can be attached to the patient's buttocks with the opening of the bag body expanded. If the opening elastic portion is provided with a flexible portion at a circumferentially intermediate position so that the opening elastic portions on both sides of the flexible portion can face each other and abut against each other, the storage bag can be folded stably into a flat shape by bending the opening elastic portion at the flexible portion. If buttocks attachment adhesive portions are provided on both sides of the flexible portion, the storage bag can be attached to the patient's buttocks with the opening of the bag body expanded.

[0014] According to the disimpaction device of the present invention, the number of parts used can be reduced and the device can be vibrated while supplying liquid to the hard stool, making it easier to fluidize the hard stool. Moreover, because the number of parts is reduced, the flexible tube can be replaced with a new one each time the disimpaction device is used. This improves the ease of use of the disimpaction device. Furthermore, if a set of storage bags for storing stool is provided, a disimpaction set can be provided that makes the disimpaction procedure easier.

[0015] 7A and 7B are a side view and a side view, respectively, of a vibration plate disposed at the tip of the insertion part of the disimpaction device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, respectively. FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating a state in which the disimpaction device according to the first embodiment is used, and FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating a state in which an enema is used in a medical or nursing setting. FIG. 8B is a side view of a disimpaction device according to a modified example of the first embodiment, and FIG. 8C is a side view of a disimpaction device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8A is a diagram illustrating a vibration plate disposed at the tip of the insertion part of the disimpaction device shown in FIG. 7A, and FIG. 8B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the disimpaction set according to the third embodiment is used, and FIG. 8C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the disimpaction set according to the third embodiment is used, and FIG. 8C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the disimpaction set according to the third embodiment is used, and FIG. 8C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the disimpaction device ... set according to the third embodiment is used, and FIG. 8C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the disimpaction device according to the third embodiment is used, and FIG. 8C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the disimpaction device according to the third embodiment is used, and FIG

[0016] Several embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. [First embodiment] Fig. 1 is a side view of a disimpaction device of the first embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating its use. The disimpaction device 10 comprises an insertion part 14 that is inserted through the anus 11 to bring a tip part 12 into contact with hard stool 13, a vibration generating part 15 that is disposed outside the anus 11 and vibrates the tip part 12 of the insertion part 14, and a liquid supply part 16 that supplies liquid from the tip part 12 to the hard stool 13.

[0017] The insertion portion 14 of this embodiment includes a flexible transmission shaft 21 connected to the vibration generating unit 15 to be vibrated, and a vibration plate 22 attached to the tip of the transmission shaft 21. The transmission shaft 21 is made of a flexible rod material. Vibrations from the vibrator 31 propagate along the entire length of the transmission shaft 21, vibrating the vibration plate 22. During use, the transmission shaft 21 is inserted into the rectum through the anus 11 and flexes and deforms appropriately within the rectum, which may bend or bend. The transmission shaft 21 is made of a material strong enough to withstand the applied vibration intensity and not cause any damage when inserted into the rectum. One end of the transmission shaft 21 is joined to the vibrator 31 of the vibration generating unit 15 in a manner that allows it to be easily detached and replaced. The other end of the transmission shaft 21 is joined to the vibration plate 22 as shown in FIGS. 3( a) and 3(b). The shape of the vibration plate 22 is not limited in any way, but in this embodiment, the vibration plate 22 is circular and has a protruding piece 23 that protrudes in a roughly cross shape along the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21. The protruding piece 23 is arranged at the tip of the vibration plate 22 so that it can directly contact the hard feces 13 during use. The vibration plate 22 is provided with a liquid outlet 24 that penetrates in the axial direction of the transmission shaft 21. This liquid outlet 24 is a through hole for supplying liquid from the liquid supply unit 16 to the hard feces 13. The transmission shaft 21 is housed within a flexible tube 26 of the liquid supply unit 16. The flexible tube 26 in this embodiment has an expanded portion 27 at its tip, as described below, and the tip of the expanded portion 27 is open. The vibration plate 22 is housed and arranged at the tip of this expanded portion 27. In the arranged state, the protruding piece 23 of the vibration plate 22 curves and protrudes outward.

[0018] The vibration generating unit 15 includes a vibrator 31 that is vibrated by a drive unit such as a motor (not shown). The vibrator 31 may be replaceable together with the transmission shaft 21 by detaching the end of the transmission shaft 21 from the vibration generating unit 15. For example, a fitting hole may be provided in the vibrator 31, and the end of the transmission shaft 21 may be fitted into the fitting hole to fix the vibrator 31. There is no particular limitation on the method of joining the vibration generating unit 15 and the vibrator 31. Such a vibration generating unit 15 has a structure similar to that of a general vibrating device that a user holds in their hand, such as an electric toothbrush, and may be a known device that can be easily realized without requiring any special technology.

[0019] The vibrations generated by the vibrator 31 of the vibration generating unit 15 may be linear vibrations along the transmission shaft 21, vibrations in a rotational direction around the transmission shaft 21, vibrations perpendicular to the transmission shaft 21, or a combination of these. The vibrations transmitted to the tip 12 of the insertion unit 14 must not cause any damage when they come into contact with the anus 11 and rectum 17. At the same time, the vibrations transmitted to the tip 12 of the insertion unit 14 must be capable of breaking down the hard stool 13. Appropriate amplitude and frequency can be controlled or selected depending on the patient's condition. While the frequency may generally be approximately 1,000 to 10,000 times per minute, this range is not strictly defined. Excessively high frequencies, such as ultrasound, are undesirable because they make it difficult to break down the hard stool 13. On the other hand, excessively low frequencies do not provide sufficient results. Furthermore, while the amplitude generally ranges from approximately 1 mm to 5 mm, this is not strictly regulated. If the amplitude is too small, it becomes difficult to break up the hard stool 13, but if the amplitude is too large, it may damage the inner wall of the anus 11 or rectum.

[0020] Liquid is supplied from the tip 12 of the insertion portion 14 to the hard stool 13 by the liquid supply portion 16. The liquid may be any liquid that is fluid, does not have any adverse effects on the patient, and is miscible with the hard stool 13. The liquid may be, for example, water, or physiological saline. The liquid supply portion 16 includes a liquid supply source 25 disposed outside the anus 11 and a flexible tube 26 that guides the liquid from the liquid supply source 25 to the tip 12 of the insertion portion 14. The flexible tube 26 accommodates the entire length of the conduction shaft 21 of the insertion portion 14. The flexible tube 26 is made of a resin that can bend and deform appropriately to fit the curved and meandering shape of the rectum when inserted into the rectum from the anus 11 together with the conduction shaft 21.

[0021] The flexible tube 26 has an end connector 28 at one end that is detachably attached to the vibration generating unit 15, and an expanded portion 27 at the other end that surrounds and accommodates the diaphragm 22 of the insertion portion 14. The end connector 28 and the expanded portion 27 are integrally formed with the tube midsection in a liquid-tight manner. A supply port 26a for supplying liquid is provided on the end connector 28 side. The end connector 28 is preferably formed in a shape that can cover at least the outer periphery of the end of the vibration generating unit 15. The connection of the end connector 28 to the vibration generating unit 15 must ensure that the liquid supplied into the flexible tube 26 does not leak. A plurality of support portions 26b may be provided inside the midsection of the flexible tube 26 to support the transmission shaft 21 as long as the vibration of the transmission shaft 21 is not impeded as much as possible. For example, the outer periphery of the transmission shaft 21 may be supported by the support portions 26b, and then the transmission shaft 21 and the transmission shaft 21 may be inserted into the flexible tube 26 for installation. The flexible tube 26 configured in this manner is replaced after each treatment.

[0022] The liquid supply source 25 includes a liquid container 29 capable of being suspended and capable of holding a liquid, and a connecting flow path 30 connecting the liquid container 29 to the flexible tube 26. The liquid container 29 may be a resin bag having a hanging portion 29a, and the liquid flows down by connecting the connecting flow path 30 to a spout at the bottom. The shape, size, etc. of the liquid container 29 can be selected as appropriate. In this embodiment, the liquid container 29 is a bag capable of holding approximately 500 cc of liquid. The connecting flow path 30 is made of various flexible tubes, and has a connecting portion at one end for connecting to the spout and a connecting portion at the other end for liquid-tight connection to the supply port 26a of the flexible tube 26. A flow rate adjusting piece 30a is provided in the middle portion to adjust the flow rate of the liquid flowing down the connecting flow path 30. The liquid supply source 25 adjusts the pressure of the liquid flowing down by arbitrarily adjusting the hanging height of the hanging portion 29a.

[0023] To use the disimpaction device 10 of this embodiment, the patient is first placed in a lateral position, and the surgeon stands behind the patient. In this state, as shown in FIG. 2 , the insertion portion 14 of the disimpaction device 10 is inserted through the anus 11 together with the flexible tube 26. When the insertion portion 14 is inserted through the anus 11, the tip of the disimpaction device 10 comes into contact with the hard stool 13. Next, the vibration generating unit 15 is activated to vibrate the vibrator 31, which then propagates through the transmission shaft 21 and vibrates the vibration plate 22 attached to the tip 12. Simultaneously, or prior to the start of vibration, liquid is supplied from the liquid supply unit 16 through the flexible tube 26 via the outlet 24 of the vibration plate 22 located at the tip 12 of the insertion portion 14 and supplied to the vicinity of the hard stool 13. The vibration of the vibration plate 22 and the supply of liquid deform and break down the hard stool 13 in contact with the liquid. The supply of liquid mixes the stool with water, forming a muddy stool. When the disimpaction device 10 that has been pressed against the body is pulled toward the user, negative pressure is created in the front of the disimpaction device 10, i.e., in the vicinity of the vibration plate. Water is replenished from the tip in the amount that the disimpaction device 10 is pulled toward the user. When the disimpaction device 10 is then moved forward again, the hard stool 13 and water are easily mixed, and the stool becomes more easily muddy. The muddy stool easily flows out of the anus 11. In actual use, it is best to move the device forward and backward in small increments.

[0024] After the disimpaction procedure is completed, the insertion part 14 of the disimpaction device 10 is removed from the patient's body, and the flexible tube 26 of the liquid supply part 16, the transmission shaft and vibration plate 22 of the insertion part 14, etc. are removed from the vibration generating part 15 and discarded as consumables. The liquid container 29 and connecting flow path 30 of the liquid supply part are also discarded as consumables. Then, a new insertion part 14 and liquid supply part 16 can be attached to the vibration generating part 15, and they can be used for the next task.

[0025] Next, the safety of the disimpaction device 10 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 4(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the disimpaction device 10 manufactured in this embodiment in use, and Fig. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the enema used in medical or nursing settings. In the figures, 32 is the bladder, 33 is the prostate, and 34 is the penis. In Fig. 4(a), the flexible tube 26 of the disimpaction device 10 is inserted from the anus 11, with the tip of the flexible tube 26 being placed in the feces in the rectum 17. On the other hand, in Fig. 4(b), the flexible tube 35a of the enema 35 is inserted from the anus 11, with the tip of the flexible tube 35a being placed in the feces in the rectum 17.

[0026] As can be seen by comparing Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the disimpaction device 10 of this embodiment and the enema 35 are shown in almost identical configurations when in use. The flexible tube 26 inserted through the anus 11 of the disimpaction device 10 and the flexible tube 35a inserted through the anus 11 of the enema 35 are made of the same flexible material and are almost identical in terms of flexibility, size, and shape. Therefore, the disimpaction device 10 of this embodiment is fully compatible with the human body and is safe. Furthermore, some may feel that the excreted stool is unhygienic or cumbersome to handle, given that it is a large amount of muddy stool. However, we emphasize that this is not the case. Conventional disimpaction and enemas are performed manually, resulting in stool sticking to the fingers and the use of a large amount of paper towels. However, the disimpaction device 10 of this embodiment converts hard stool 13 into muddy stool from the start and expels it through the anus 11, eliminating the need for manual procedures.

[0027] According to the disimpaction device 10 of this embodiment, the tip 12 of the insertion portion 14 is inserted through the anus 11 and brought into contact with the hard stool 13, and liquid is supplied from the liquid supply portion 16. The vibration generating unit 15 vibrates the tip of the insertion portion 14, thereby mixing the hard stool 13 with the liquid. This fluidizes the hard stool 13 present in the rectum or anus 11, preferably turning it into a muddy stool. The insertion portion 14 inserted through the anus 11 into the rectum 17 is flexible enough to conform to the shape of the rectum 17, allowing for easy and safe insertion into the patient's rectum through the anus 11, facilitating the disimpaction procedure. Reducing the difficult task of disimpaction would be a significant social benefit. Even if the task of dissolving the stool is performed slowly, the task can ultimately be completed reliably, thereby shortening the procedure time. Smooth operation of the disimpaction device 10 allows for a reliable, safe, and clean operation, providing significant relief for both the operator and the patient. Moreover, the shape, size, and softness of the disimpaction device can be made almost the same as that of a glycerin enema. The vibration of the tip 12 of the insertion part 14 of the disimpaction device 10 is not an extreme movement, so even if it comes into contact with the mucous membrane of the large intestine, no harm will be caused, and it is safe for use on the human body.

[0028] The disimpaction device 10 of this embodiment has a flexible tube 26 that guides liquid from a liquid supply source 25 to the tip 12 of the insertion part 14, and the vibration plate 22 is provided with a protruding piece 23 that protrudes in the axial direction from the surface facing the hard stool and comes into direct contact with the hard stool. The vibration plate 22 is disposed at the tip of the flexible tube 26 and has an outlet 24 for the liquid from the flexible tube 26. Therefore, liquid can be reliably supplied to the tip of the insertion part 14 from outside the anus, and by supplying the liquid from the tip 12 while vibrating the vibration plate 22 in a state of being in axial contact with the hard stool, clumps of hard stool are broken up and the stool and liquid are mixed to form muddy stool.

[0029] The insertion portion 14 has a vibrating flexible conduction shaft 21 connected to the vibration generating unit 15, and a vibration plate 22 provided at the tip 12 of the conduction shaft 21. Therefore, vibrations from a vibration generator placed outside the anus 11 are reliably transmitted to the vibration plate 22 at the tip by the conduction shaft 21, making it easy to fluidize the hard stool 13. The flexible tube 26 and the conduction shaft 21 can be constructed integrally, and the conduction shaft 21 and the flexible tube 26 are replaceably connected to the vibration generating unit 15. Therefore, every time the disimpaction device 10 is used, the flexible tube 26 and the conduction shaft 21 can be disposed of and easily replaced with new ones.

[0030] When the liquid supply source 25 has a liquid container 29 that can store liquid and be hung, and a connecting flow path 30 that can allow liquid to flow from the liquid container 29 to the flexible tube 26, the liquid pressure of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply section 16 to the inside of the patient's rectum or anus 11 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the hanging height of the liquid container 29, so that the hard stool 13 can be mobilized at a liquid pressure appropriate for the patient.

[0031] [Modification of the First Embodiment] Fig. 5 is a side view of the disimpaction device 10 according to a modification of the first embodiment. The disimpaction device 10 of the first embodiment can remove fecal masses up to about 10 cm deep from the anus, but there are cases where the patient senses that fecal masses are present further back in the rectum 17 and requests an enema. For this reason, this modification is proposed. That is, by integrating an enema container containing a glycerin enema liquid instead of the liquid container 29 containing water or physiological saline for turning the hard stool 13 into a slurry, it is possible to easily perform continuous enemas.

[0032] In this modification, the liquid supply unit 16 comprises an enema 35 having a storage section 35b that can store enema liquid and discharge it by pressurizing it, and a flexible tube 35a that is liquid-tightly connected to the storage section 35b. The enema 35 is attached to the disimpaction device 10 in place of the liquid container 29 and the connecting flow path 30 of the first embodiment. The storage section 35b is made of flexible resin, and by pressing the bellows-shaped outer wall with a finger, the enema liquid stored therein can be pushed out into the flexible tube 35a. One end of the flexible tube 35a is connected to the storage section 35b, and the other end is connected to the supply port 26a of the flexible tube 26 that is replaceably connected to the vibration generating unit 15. The rest is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0033] The above-described effects of the first embodiment can be obtained with this disimpaction device 10. Moreover, since the liquid supply section 16 is made up of the enema 35 having the storage section 35b that stores enema liquid and can discharge it by pressurizing it, and the flexible tube 35a that is liquid-tightly connected to the storage section 35b, it is possible to combine the disimpaction device 10 with known enemas, thereby expanding the range of application.

[0034] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The inventor first invented the structure of the first embodiment, which transmitted vibrations using a transmission shaft. However, after further investigation, he discovered that vibrations could be transmitted by liquid in a flexible tube without the transmission shaft, leading to the invention of the structure of the second embodiment. Figure 6 is a side view of the disimpaction device of the second embodiment, and Figures 7(a) and (b) are views showing the distal end of the composite unit. In the disimpaction device 10 of the second embodiment, the insertion unit and the liquid supply unit are integrally formed as a combined unit 18. This combined unit 18 includes a flexible tube 36 replaceably connected to a vibration generator, a vibration plate 22 provided at the distal end 37 of the flexible tube 36, and a liquid outlet 24 provided at the distal end 37 of the flexible tube 36.

[0035] In the composite section 18, the flexible tube 36 has an end connector 38 at one end that is replaceable by detaching it from the vibration generating unit 15. The other end has a bellows section 37a around the side periphery and a vibration plate 22 at the tip. The end connector 38 covers the outer periphery of the end of the vibration generating unit 15. When the end connector 38 is connected to the vibration generating unit 15, the connection is liquid-tight to prevent leakage of liquid supplied into the flexible tube 26. A supply port 26a for supplying liquid is provided on the end connector 38 side. The vibration plate 22 that closes the tip of the flexible tube 36 has the same structure as in the first embodiment, with a substantially circular, cross-shaped protruding piece 23. The vibration plate 22 is provided with an outlet 24 for supplying liquid to the hard stool 13. Although four outlets 24 are provided in each figure, the number, shape, and size of the outlets 24 can be changed as appropriate.

[0036] The vibration generating unit 15 has a cylindrical hollow portion 39 at the end connected to the flexible tube 36, and a piston-shaped vibrator 31 is liquid-tightly disposed within the hollow portion. The hollow portion 39 contains a liquid to be supplied into the flexible tube 36, and the vibrator 31 is in contact with the liquid. In the second embodiment, when liquid is supplied from the liquid container 29 into the flexible tube 36 through the supply port 26a, the liquid passes through the flexible tube 36 and is supplied to the tip portion 37, and is then supplied from the outlet 24 of the vibration plate 22. At the same time, the liquid in the flexible tube 36 fills the hollow portion 39 of the vibration generating unit 15 and is constantly in contact with the piston-shaped vibrator 31. When the vibrator 31 vibrates, the vibrations propagate within the liquid in the flexible tube 36, causing the tip portion 37 of the flexible tube 36 to vibrate back and forth and the bellows portion 37a to vibrate. When transmitting vibrations via a liquid, the shape of the outlet 24 may be devised, for example, by providing a valve or forming it in an orifice shape. Vibration from the vibrator 31 may be propagated through the bellows portion 37a at the tip 37 of the flexible tube 36 and the vibration plate 22. In either case, the bellows portion 37a and the vibration plate 22 can be vibrated by vibrations from the vibration generating unit 15. The remaining configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and can be used in the same manner.

[0037] The disimpaction device 10 of the second embodiment can achieve the same effects as those of the first embodiment. This disimpaction device 10 has a composite unit 18 and a liquid supply unit 16 formed integrally, a flexible tube 36 replaceably connected to the vibration generating unit 15, a vibration plate 22 provided at the distal end 37 of the flexible tube 36, and a liquid outlet 24 provided at the distal end 37 of the flexible tube 36. Therefore, vibrations from the vibration generating unit 15 can be transmitted to the distal end 37 by the flexible tube 36 and the liquid present in the flexible tube 36, and the vibrations can be applied to the hard stool 13 by the vibration plate 22 at the distal end 37. Furthermore, liquid can be supplied to the distal end 37 by the flexible tube 36, and then supplied to the vibrated hard stool 13 from the outlet 24 of the vibration plate 22. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced and the hard stool 13 can be easily fluidized. In particular, by integrating the insertion section and the liquid supply section of the flexible tube 36 into the composite section 18, the number of parts to be discarded after each use is reduced, and the disimpaction device 10 can be provided at a lower cost than the disimpaction device 10 of the first embodiment.

[0038] The above-described embodiments can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. In the above-described embodiments, one example of the vibration plate 22 is shown, but various shapes can be used. While an example in which the supply port 26 a of the liquid supply unit 16 is provided in the flexible tube 26 has been described, this is not particularly limited. For example, the supply port 26 a of the liquid supply unit 16 may be provided in the vibration generating unit 15.

[0039] [Third embodiment] Next, a disimpaction set will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11. Figure 11 shows the disimpaction set in use. The disimpaction set of this embodiment comprises any one of the above-mentioned disimpaction devices 10 and a storage bag 45 for storing stool. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the storage bag 45 has a bag main body 46, an elastic part for opening 47, and an adhesive part 48 for attachment to the buttocks. The bag main body 46 is formed from a transparent, flexible resin, and has an opening 46b formed in an upper edge 46a.

[0040] The opening elastic portion 47 is used to bias the bag body 46 in the direction of widening the opening 46b of the bag body 46 to fit the bag body 46 to the patient's buttocks 5. The opening elastic portion 47 is provided on the upper edge 46a of the bag body 46 along the opening 46b. The opening elastic portion 47 is a thin-walled member having at least higher elasticity than the bag body 46, and may be made of a resin such as polypropylene that has enough elasticity to be easily deformed by the user's fingers. When pressed in the thickness direction against the elasticity, the opening elastic portion 47 elastically deforms into a curved shape, and when the pressure is released, it elastically returns to a flat state. The opening elastic portion 47 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the bag body 46 and is disposed over a range longer than half the circumference of the opening 46b of the bag body 46. In this embodiment, the opening elastic portion 47 is provided with a flexible portion 47b at a circumferentially intermediate position with a small gap. The opening elastic portion 47 in this embodiment is configured by arranging two elastic members 47a side by side in the circumferential direction, with the flexible portion 47b interposed therebetween. Each elastic member 47a is formed by partially joining two band-shaped elastic pieces. Specifically, a folded portion 47c is formed by bending the middle of each elastic piece, and the folded portions 47c are joined by folding the outer surfaces of one side of the folded portions 47c together in a valley fold so that they face each other. The elastic pieces constituting each elastic portion 47a are each shorter than half the circumference of the opening 46b of the bag body 46, and the entire opening elastic portion 47 is formed to be longer than half the circumference of the opening 46b of the bag body 46.

[0041] When not in use, the storage bags are folded into a thin, flat shape and stored by stacking several of them. The flexible portions 47b of the storage bag are bent in the closing direction, and two opposing elastic members 47a sandwiching the flexible portions 47b are overlapped with each other. That is, as shown in Fig. 9, the flexible portions 47b of the storage bag 45 are folded in a mountain fold so that the inner walls of the bag body 46 face each other, thereby folding the bag body 46 into a flat shape. In this state, each elastic member 47a is valley-folded by a folding portion 47c located at the longitudinal middle position, as shown by the imaginary lines in Fig. 9, so that the entire storage bag 45 is kept flat.

[0042] On the other hand, during use, the elastic pieces of each elastic member 47a are unfolded at the folded portion 47c, and the easily bendable portion 47b is further expanded. This unfolds the opening elastic portions 47 disposed on both sides of the easily bendable portion 47b and joined to the bag body 46. As shown in Fig. 10, by pulling both opening elastic portions 47 to the left and right, the opening 46b of the bag body 46 is expanded accordingly, and the elastic pieces of each elastic member 47a can be deformed to fit the patient's buttocks 51.

[0043] The buttocks adhesive part 48 is used to attach the bag body 46 to the patient's buttocks 51, and is provided along the outer peripheral surface of the upper edge part 46a having the opening 46b of the bag body 46. This buttocks adhesive part 48 is made of, for example, a strip-shaped double-sided adhesive tape, and its entire surface is covered with a release paper 52. When in use, the buttocks adhesive part 48 is attached at a position where it will be fixed to the patient's buttocks 51. Specifically, the buttocks adhesive part 48 is attached to the elastic pieces of two elastic members 47a arranged on both sides of the easy-to-bend part 47b, and is fixed to the buttocks 51 by unfolding the elastic pieces of the elastic members 47a at the positions of the folded parts 47c. The adhesive strength of this buttocks adhesive part 48 is sufficient to secure the opening 46b side of the bag body 46 to the buttocks 51 of the patient when the bag body 46 contains muddy feces during use.

[0044] To use a disimpaction set comprising the storage bag 45 and any one of the disimpaction devices, the storage bag 45 is attached by adhering the buttocks attachment adhesive part 48 to the patient's buttocks 51 with the opening 46b of the storage bag 45 widened, as shown in Figures 10 and 11. When not in use, the storage bag 45 is stored in such a manner that it is folded flat together with the opening elastic part 47 at the position of the easily bendable part 47b of the opening elastic part 47, and each elastic member 47a is also folded at the folding part 47c, as shown in Figures 8 and 9. The storage bag 45 is unfolded from the folded state, and the opening 46b is widened together with the opening elastic part 47.

[0045] 10 and 11 , when a patient is placed in a lateral position on a treatment table 54, the release paper 52 of the storage bag 45 is peeled off, and the buttocks attachment adhesive part 48 is attached to the patient's buttocks 51 at a position directly below the anus, the opening 46b of the bag body 46 naturally widens and is positioned upward directly below the anus. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 10 , the two elastic members 47a arranged on both sides of the easily bending part 47b of the opening elastic part 47 are deployed from the rear to the front of the patient's buttocks 51 and are adhered to the buttocks 51 by the buttocks attachment adhesive part 48. Here, since the total length of the two elastic pieces of the opening elastic portion 47 arranged along the outer periphery of the opening 46b of the bag body 46 is set to be longer than half the circumference of the opening 46b of the bag body 46, the elastic pieces of these two elastic members 47a bias the opening 46b of the bag body 46 in the direction of expanding it, and as a result, the opening 46b is naturally maintained in an expanded state as shown in Figure 10.

[0046] After the storage bag 45 has been attached to the patient's buttocks 51 in this way, the hard stool 13 is disimpacted using the disimpaction device 10, as shown in Figure 11. When the insertion part 14 of the disimpaction device 10, together with the flexible tube 26, is inserted through the anus 11 and reaches the fecal mass, the vibration generating part 15 is activated to vibrate the vibration plate 22 at the tip part 12 of the insertion part 14. At the same time, or prior to the start of vibration, liquid is caused to flow from the liquid supply part 16 through the flexible tube 26 and from the tip part 12 of the insertion part 14, and supplied to the vicinity of the hard stool 13.

[0047] As a result, the hard stool 13 is gradually broken down and mixed with water to form muddy stool, which is then discharged from the anus 11. At this time, the muddy stool that has discharged from the anus flows down into the storage bag 45 attached to the buttocks 51 and is collected. Since the opening 46b of the storage bag 45 is positioned directly below the anus in a state where it is widened by the elastic opening part 47, the muddy stool can be collected cleanly and without leakage during the operation.

[0048] After the operation is completed, the insertion portion 14 of the disimpaction device 10 is removed from the patient's body, and the flexible tube 26 of the liquid supply portion 16, the transmission shaft of the insertion portion 14, the vibration plate 22, etc. are removed from the vibration generating portion 15 and discarded as consumables. Meanwhile, the storage bag 45 from which the muddy stool has been collected can be removed from the patient's buttocks 51 by peeling off the buttocks adhesive portion 48 and discarded. The weight of the extracted stool can be accurately calculated by measuring the weight of the storage bag 45 containing the muddy stool and subtracting the weight of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply portion 16. In this case, if a hole 46a is provided near the upper edge 46a of the bag body 46, the weight can be measured by hanging it.

[0049] According to the disimpaction set, when using the disimpaction device 10, by attaching the storage bag 45 around the patient's buttocks 51, the muddy stool flowing out from the patient's anus 11 is stored in the storage bag 45 without the need for a separate cleaning procedure. Therefore, the muddy stool flowing out from the patient's anus 11 can be handled very cleanly and easily, and the amount of extracted stool can also be measured. There is also no need to use a large amount of paper. By storing the muddy stool flowing out from the patient's buttocks in the storage bag, handling of the stool becomes very clean and easy.

[0050] In this third embodiment, the opening elastic portion 47 is provided along the upper edge 46a of the bag body 46 over a range longer than half the circumference of the opening 46b of the bag body 46 and biases the opening 46b in the direction of expansion, so that the opening 46b of the bag body 46 is maintained in an open state, and the bottom of the storage body is stably placed on a treatment table, allowing extraction procedures to be performed without the intervention of an assistant. The buttocks attachment adhesive portion 48 is provided in a position overlapping with the opening elastic portion 47 and over a narrower range than the opening elastic portion 47, so that the storage bag 45 can be attached to the patient's buttocks 51 with the opening 46b of the bag body 46 widely expanded. When not in use, the opening elastic portions 47 on both sides of the easily bendable portion 47b can be folded by overlapping them, allowing the storage bag 45 to be kept flat.

[0051] The third embodiment can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. For example, the elastic member 47a may be disposed as a continuous, integral piece without being divided into two. In this case, a 180-degree bend line may be formed as the easily bendable portion 47b at the intermediate position, and the fold line may be unfolded 180 degrees. The opening elastic portion 47 may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the upper edge portion 46a of the bag body, rather than on the outer peripheral surface of the upper edge portion 46a of the bag body.

[0052] 10 Disimpaction device, 11 Anus, 12 Tip portion, 13 Hard stool, 14 Insertion portion, 15 Vibration generating portion, 16 Liquid supply portion, 17 Rectum, 18 Composite portion, 21 Conduction shaft, 22 Vibration plate, 23 Projection piece, 24 Outlet, 25 Liquid supply source, 26, 36 Flexible tube, 26a Supply port, 26b Support portion, 27 Expanding portion, 28 End connecting portion, 29 Liquid container, 29a Hanging portion, 30 Connecting flow path, 30a Flow rate adjusting piece, 31 Vibrator, 32 Bladder, 33 Prostate, 34 Penis, 35 Enema, 35a Flexible tube, 35b Storage portion, 37 Tip portion, 37a Bellows portion, 38 End connecting portion, 39 Hollow portion, 42 Introduction portion, 45 Storage bag, 46 bag body, 46a upper edge portion, 46b opening, 47 opening elastic portion, 47a elastic member, 47b easily bending portion, 47c folding portion, 48 buttocks attachment adhesive portion, 51 buttocks, 52, 53 release paper, 54 treatment table

Claims

1. An insertion part that is inserted into the anus and whose tip comes into contact with hard stool, A vibration generating unit positioned outside the anus and vibrating the tip of the insertion part, A liquid supply unit that supplies liquid to the hard stool from the tip of the insertion part, In a manual disimpaction device equipped with, The insertion portion has flexibility that allows it to deform to conform to the shape of the rectum when inserted into the rectum from the anus, and a vibrating plate is positioned at its tip. The diaphragm is provided with at least one liquid outlet and a protruding piece that projects axially from the surface facing the hard stool and directly contacts the hard stool. The vibration generating unit generates vibrations capable of crushing hard stool that the protruding piece comes into contact with, and transmits these vibrations to the vibrating plate at the tip. The liquid supply unit has a flexible tube that guides the liquid from the liquid supply source to the outlet of the diaphragm. A fecal excretion device that, while allowing liquid to flow out of the outlet of the vibrating plate, vibrates the protruding piece in contact with the hard stool by vibration transmitted from the vibration generating unit to the vibrating plate, thereby crushing the hard stool and forming a muddy stool mixed with the liquid flowing out of the outlet.

2. (delete)

3. The excretory disimpaction device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration generating unit generates vibrations with an amplitude of 1 mm to 5 mm.

4. (delete)

5. The disimpaction device according to claim 1, wherein the insertion portion comprises a flexible conduction shaft that is connected to the vibration generating portion and capable of vibrating, the diaphragm is connected to the conduction shaft, the conduction shaft is housed in the flexible tube, and the conduction shaft and the flexible tube are interchangeably connected to the vibration generating portion.

6. The insertion section and the liquid supply section are composed of a composite section that is formed integrally with the other section. The composite section comprises a flexible tube interchangeably connected to the vibration generating section, and a diaphragm provided at the tip of the flexible tube. The fecal excretion device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration of the vibration generating part propagates in the liquid inside the flexible tube and causes the vibrating plate to vibrate.

7. The fecal excision device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply source comprises a liquid container capable of containing and suspending the liquid, and a connecting channel capable of allowing the liquid to flow down from the liquid container into the flexible tube.

8. The excrement removal device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply unit comprises a storage unit capable of storing and pressurizing the liquid for discharge, and the flexible tube liquid-tightly connected to the storage unit.

9. The device comprises a fecal excision device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and a storage bag for storing feces, wherein the storage bag has a bag body and an adhesive portion for attaching the bag body to the buttocks, The aforementioned bag body is attached upwards to a position directly below the anus by the adhesive portion for buttock attachment when the opening is widened, forming a fecal excision kit.

10. The excretory disimpaction set according to claim 9, wherein the adhesive portion for attaching to the buttocks is provided on the upper edge of the bag body.

11. The fecal excision set according to claim 10, wherein the storage bag has an elastic opening portion that biases the opening of the bag body in the direction of expanding.

12. The excretory disimpaction set according to claim 11, wherein the elastic opening portion is arranged along the upper edge of the bag body over a range longer than half the circumference of the opening of the bag body.

13. The excretory disimpaction set according to claim 12, wherein the adhesive portion for attaching to the buttocks is provided in a position that overlaps with the elastic portion for opening, but in a narrower area than the elastic portion for opening.

14. The fecal excision set according to claim 13, wherein the elastic opening portion is provided with an easily bendable portion at an intermediate position in the circumferential direction, and the elastic opening portions on both sides of the easily bendable portion can be brought into contact with each other.

15. The excretory disimpaction set according to claim 14, wherein the adhesive portion for attaching to the buttocks is provided on both sides of the easily bendable portion.