Seat for collecting radiocontaminated excreta

Abstract

The present invention relates to a seat (1) for collecting radiocontaminated excreta from a patient, the seat (1) comprising: - a support frame (2) comprising ground-support means (3), - a ring-shaped seating structure (4), and - collection means (11) for recovering the radiocontaminated excreta discharged by the patient sitting on the seating structure (4). This seat is characterised in that the collection means (11) comprise: - a removable container (12), made at least partially of a radiation-shielding material, and - a leak-tight receptacle (13) configured to be positioned in the removable container (12), the receptacle (13) having an opening (16) that is open below the central seat opening (7), or at the level thereof, in order to collect the radiocontaminated excreta.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Title of the invention: Seat for collecting radio-contaminated excreta. Technical field of the invention.

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of nuclear medicine. It relates more particularly to a seat for the collection of radio-contaminated excreta (in particular for the collection of urine and possibly feces or even vomit).

[0004] The invention also relates to a sealed container for the collection of radio-contaminated excreta, adapted to equip such a seat.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] Patients who are injected with radioactive products in nuclear medicine, for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, expel radio-contaminated excreta (mainly urine, but also feces or vomit), which must be collected and then treated.

[0007] The collection of excreta can be carried out from an adapted seat which resembles a conventional toilet, the collection conduit of which leads to a radio decay tank generally located in the basement.

[0008] However, current equipment is relatively complex.

[0009] On the other hand, managing contaminated effluents collected in radio-decay tanks is not always easy, especially given the available underground space.

[0010] Presentation of the invention

[0011] To overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention proposes a seat for collecting radio-contaminated excreta from a patient, which seat comprises:

[0012] - a load-bearing chassis including means of support on the ground,

[0013] - a seating structure, suitable for receiving the patient in a seated position, which seating structure, mounted on the supporting frame, is crown-shaped comprising an outer seating edge and an inner seating edge delimited by a central seating opening,

[0014] - means of collecting radio-contaminated excreta expelled by the patient sitting on said seating structure,

[0015] This seat being characterized by the fact that said collection means include: - a removable container, adapted to be placed under said central opening of the seating structure, which removable container is made at least in part of radio-protective material,

[0016] - a removable, leak-proof container for the collection of said radio-contaminated excreta, which leak-proof container comprises a lower container part and an upper container part provided with a container opening delimited by a container opening rim,

[0017] which sealed container includes a closure means for closing said upper part of the container,

[0018] which sealed container is adapted to be positioned in said removable container with its container opening (preferably widely) open under said central orifice of the seating structure, or at the level of the latter, to collect said radio-contaminated excreta.

[0019] Such a seat, with a very simple structure, allows for optimal and secure recovery of radio-contaminated excreta for subsequent treatment by any appropriate technique or means.

[0020] Other non-limiting and advantageous features of the seat for collecting radio-contaminated excreta according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows:

[0021] - the waterproof container is in the shape of a flexible pouch;

[0022] - the upper part of the container includes removable fixing means for its removable fixing on the seating structure, and in an open position of its container opening at the level of the central seating orifice;

[0023] - Removable fastening means include a clamping means provided on the rim of the container opening,

[0024] said upper part of the container being arranged, after positioning under said seating structure and passing through said central seating orifice, to cover an upper surface of said seating structure and a lateral surface of said external seating edge, and to be fixed on the side or under said seating structure by tightening said tightening means;

[0025] - the seat includes a movable flap, mounted on a hinged system, arranged to occupy: (i) an active position by resting on a superior surface of said seating structure and closing said central seating opening, and

[0026] (ii) an inactive position, away from said seating structure,

[0027] which movable toilet seat is made at least partly of radio-protective material.

[0028] - the seat includes a removable protective cover designed to cover the movable seat;

[0029] - the seat includes a seating structure whose internal seating edge extends downwards into a channel for the collection of radio-contaminated excreta;

[0030] - the seat includes a protective casing which extends downwards from the seat structure, at least on a part of the front of said seat structure;

[0031] - the supporting chassis is a rolling type chassis comprising means of support on the ground in the form of casters;

[0032] - The seat includes a wheeled support trolley for receiving the removable container:

[0033] - the support trolley includes a pull handle extending upwards for its movement operations on the ground by an operator;

[0034] - the seat includes removable means of securing between the pull handle of the support trolley and the supporting chassis;

[0035] - the removable container comprises a container body with a top opening, and a removable lid element for the removable closure of said top opening,

[0036] and the seat includes a housing for said separate lid element of said container body, which housing is provided on the pull handle of the support trolley;

[0037] - the support trolley includes a vertical axle ferrule arranged for receiving the removable container.

[0038] - the removable container comprises a container body and a removable lid element, which container body and lid element comprise a thickness of radio-protective material sandwiched between an inner coating and an outer coating;

[0039] - The sealed container includes an absorption means and a disinfectant means for radio-contaminated excreta. The present invention further relates to a sealed container for the collection of radio-contaminated excreta, adapted to equip a seat as defined above, this sealed container being characterized by the fact that it is in the form of a flexible pouch comprising an upper container part provided with a container opening, and a lower container part, between which lower container part and upper container part is provided the closure means in the form of a closure ring, which closure ring includes a free peripheral rim equipped with a sealed closure means.

[0040] Of course, the different features, variants and embodiments of the invention can be combined with each other in various ways as long as they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0041] Detailed description of the invention

[0042] Furthermore, various other features of the invention become apparent from the attached description made with reference to the drawings which illustrate non-limiting embodiments of the invention and where:

[0043] [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of an embodiment of a seat according to the invention, adapted for the collection of radio-contaminated excreta from a patient, illustrated here with a movable seat in the actively closed position;

[0044] [Fig. 2] is a perspective view of the seat in figure 1, shown with its movable flap in the inactive open position;

[0045] [Fig. 3] is a perspective view of the seat in figures 1 and 2 with its movable flap covered with a protective cover;

[0046] [Fig. 4] shows the seat of figure 3 seen from another angle;

[0047] [Fig. 5] is a vertical cross-sectional view of part of the seat of figures 1 to 4;

[0048] [Fig. 6] is a cross-sectional view of a sealed container according to the invention, adapted to equip the seat of figures 1 to 5;

[0049] [Fig. 7] is a perspective view of the support trolley which equips the seat of figures 1 to 5, shown here carrying an open removable container (with the separate lid element which is carried by the support trolley);

[0050] [Fig. 8] shows the trolley in Figure 7 with the removable container closed by the associated lid element; [Fig. 9] is a perspective view showing the rear of the seat in Figures 1 to 5;

[0051] [Fig. 10] is a view similar to figure 9 which shows the back of the seat from another angle.

[0052] The attached figures show a seat 1 adapted for the collection of radio-contaminated excreta from a patient, particularly in the context of the implementation of diagnostic or therapeutic techniques, in nuclear medicine, after injection of a radioactive product.

[0053] As illustrated in figures 1 to 5 and 9, 10, the seat 1 comprises a supporting chassis 2 including means for bearing on the ground in the form of casters 3.

[0054] The supporting chassis 2 is therefore a rolling chassis here, but in an alternative embodiment it can be provided as non-rolling.

[0055] The supporting frame 2 can be made of metallic material such as stainless steel for example.

[0056] The supporting frame 2 supports a seating structure 4, suitable for receiving the patient in a seated position, which seating structure 4 is in the shape of a crown comprising an external seating edge 5 and an internal seating edge 6 delimited by a central seating opening 7.

[0057] Preferably, the seat structure 4 is associated with a backrest 8, one or two armrests 9 which may or may not be raised, and possibly two operating handles 10.

[0058] Seat 1 also includes collection means 11 to recover radio-contaminated excreta expelled by the patient sitting on the seating structure 4.

[0059] The collection means 11 include: - a removable container 12, adapted to be placed under the central seating opening 7, and which is made at least partly of radio-protective material, and - a leak-proof container 13, removable, adapted to be positioned in the removable container 12, and to collect the radio-contaminated excreta.

[0060] A "radiation-protective material" is defined as a material designed to reduce or block the passage of ionizing radiation, such as X-rays or gamma rays. Its primary purpose is to protect people and equipment from exposure to this potentially dangerous radiation.

[0061] One possible embodiment of the leak-proof container 13 is shown isolated in Figure 6. As illustrated in Figure 6, the leak-proof container 13 is in the form of a flexible pouch made of plastic, for example Tyvek (registered trademark), Polypropylene, polyethylene or PVC (Polyvinyl chloride), which includes a lower container part 14 (corresponding to its base) and an upper container part 15 having a container opening 16 delimited by a container opening rim 17.

[0062] The sealed container 13 also includes:

[0063] - a closure means 18 for closing the upper part of the container 15, and

[0064] - means of removable fixing 19 for its removable fixing on the seat structure 4.

[0065] These removable fixing means 19 here include a clamping means 19a provided on the opening edge of container 17.

[0066] As can be seen in Figure 6, this tightening means 19a which equips the opening edge of container 17 can consist of a tightening tie 19a integrated into a hem.

[0067] In one embodiment, these fastening means 19 can consist of a simple elastic loop secured to the opening edge of the container 17 by any suitable means.

[0068] The sealed container 13 is adapted to be positioned in the removable container 12, with its container opening rim 17 open under or at the level of the central seating orifice 7 to collect radio-contaminated excreta by gravity.

[0069] Preferably, the sealed container 13 is adapted to be positioned in the removable container 12, with its container opening rim 17 widely open under or at the level of the central seating orifice 7 to collect radio-contaminated excreta by gravity.

[0070] By "wide open" we advantageously mean a configuration of the container opening 16 in which it is deployed so as to present a maximum passage section, preferably at least equal to or greater than the section of the central seating orifice 7.

[0071] This provision notably allows: - complete access to the lower part of container 14 for gravity collection of excreta, and / or

[0072] - to the upper part of container 15 to come to cover the upper surface 4a of the seating structure 4 as well as the lateral surface 5a of the external edge of seating 5 in order to ensure the sealing of the receiving area and to avoid any contamination of the supporting frame 2.

[0073] In a particular embodiment, the upper part of the container 15 is arranged, after positioning under the seat structure 4 and passing through the central seat opening 7, to cover an upper surface 4a of the seat structure 4 and a lateral surface 5a of the outer edge of the seat 5, and to be fixed to the side or under the seat structure 4 by tightening the clamping means 19a.

[0074] The closing means 18 is provided between the opening of container 16, and the lower part of container 14.

[0075] This closing means 18 is presented here in the form of a closing ring 20 which includes a free peripheral border 21 equipped with a closing means 22, preferably watertight.

[0076] The closure ring 20 can be made of the same material as the rest of the sealed container 13. It can be joined to the external face of this rest of the sealed container 13 for example by gluing or welding.

[0077] The means of sealing 22 can be an adhesive strip, a zipper, or other.

[0078] For its use, the sealed container 13 advantageously includes an absorption means and a disinfectant means (not shown) for radio-contaminated excreta, disposed in the bottom of its lower part 14.

[0079] This means of absorption and this means of disinfection make it possible to limit bacterial development and to reduce bad odors within the excreta and the sealed container 13, with the aim of improving the comfort of people nearby.

[0080] For example, the absorption medium may be in the form of an alginate gel; and the disinfectant medium may be a liquid quaternary ammonium compound. After use, it is understood that the sealing of the airtight container 13 can be achieved very simply by folding the upper part of the container 15 into the lower part of the container 14, up to the sealing ring 20, and then activating the sealing means 22.

[0081] The seat structure 4 of the seat 1 is equipped with a movable flap 24 mounted on a hinge system 25, arranged to removably close the central seat opening 7.

[0082] The 24-inch movable toilet seat is thus suitable for:

[0083] (i) an active, lowered position, resting on an upper surface 4a of the seating structure 4 and blocking said central seating opening 7 (see figure 1), and (ii) an inactive, raised position, away from the seating structure 4 (and in this case leaning against the backrest 8), as illustrated in figures 2, 3 and 4.

[0084] The pivoting movements of the movable flap 24 (in particular the lowering movement) can be dampened by a pneumatic cylinder 24a.

[0085] The movable lid 24 is made at least partly of a radioprotective material suitable for protecting individuals against ionizing radiation that may be emitted from the bottom of the sealed container 13 upwards, in particular through the central seat opening 7.

[0086] As stated above, a radio-protective material is a material designed to reduce or block the passage of ionizing radiation, such as X-rays or gamma rays.

[0087] Lead can be used as a radioprotective material.

[0088] For example, the movable toilet seat 24 can be made of plastic and it can incorporate a lead plate 26 with a thickness of a few millimeters (for example from 2 to 10 mm).

[0089] Due to the harmful nature of the material, the lead plate 26 is preferably embedded in plastic.

[0090] Preferably, when seat 1 is used by a patient, a removable protective cover 27 covers the movable seat 24, as illustrated in figures 3 and 4.

[0091] As can be seen in particular in figures 2 to 5, the inner edge of the seat 6 of the seat structure 4 of the seat 1 extends downwards by means of a channel 28 for channeling radio-contaminated excreta. This channel 28 serves in particular as a guide or support for the upper part of the container 15.

[0092] The seat 1 also includes a protective casing 29 which extends downwards the seating structure 4, at least on a front part of said seating structure 4, that is to say on the part opposite the backrest 8.

[0093] In the illustrated embodiment, this protective cover 29 extends over the entire front part of the seat 1 and it continues over part of both lateral sides.

[0094] The protective cover 29 has the function of concealing the underside of the seating structure 4, and of preventing liquid from being splashed onto the supporting chassis 2.

[0095] The removable container 12 is adapted to be positioned under the seating structure 4 and to receive the lower part of the container 14.

[0096] The removable container 12 includes a base, a container body 30 with a top container opening 31, and a removable lid element 32 for the removable closure of the top container opening 31.

[0097] In the illustrated embodiment, the container body 30 has a general cylindrical shape and the lid element 32 is circular.

[0098] The container body 30 and the lid element 32 are made at least partially of a radio-protective material, i.e. designed to reduce or block the passage of ionizing radiation, such as X-rays or gamma rays.

[0099] In this case, these two container parts 30 and 32 may include a central lead thickness sandwiched between an inner coating and an outer coating, these inner and outer coatings being made of non-radioprotective material such as stainless steel or a plastic material.

[0100] For example, the inner lining can be made of Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and the outer lining of stainless steel.

[0101] After use, the sealed container 13, preferably closed, can be completely integrated into the container body 30 and partitioned by means of the lid element 32.

[0102] The removable container 12 is advantageously supported by a rolling support trolley 33.

[0103] The support trolley 33 includes a platform 34 equipped with:

[0104] - casters 35 for ground support, - a pull handle 36 extending upwards from the platform 34, for its movement on the ground by an operator, and

[0105] - of a ferrule 37, with a vertical axis, arranged for receiving the removable container 12.

[0106] Preferably, the seat 1 includes removable fastening means 38 between the pull handle 36 of the support trolley 33 and the carrier chassis 2, to allow removable fastening between the two elements 2, 33, and, in use, their simultaneous movement when only one of the two elements is moved.

[0107] In the illustrated embodiment, these removable fastening means take the form of a pin system 38 provided on the rear of the carrier chassis 2 and capable of hooking a suitable part of the traction handle 36 of the support trolley 33.

[0108] When the watertight container 13 is in use, partially integrated into the container body 30 without a lid element 32, and with its upper container part 15 attached to the seat structure 4, the lid element 32 can be stored in a suitable housing 39, provided on the pull handle 36 (see in particular figures 7 to 10).

[0109] Figures 9 and 10 show the presence of guide elements 40 provided on the sides of the lower rear part of the support chassis 2, arranged to facilitate the correct positioning of the support trolley 33 under the seat structure 4.

[0110] If a patient needs seat 1, the sealed container 13 is placed in the removable container 12, by its lower part of container 14, the removable container 12 being itself positioned on the support trolley 33, in its receiving ferrule 37.

[0111] The support trolley 33 with the sealed container 13 is positioned under the seat structure 4 from the rear of the seat, its platform 34 being guided by the guide elements 40. An absorption medium and a disinfectant medium for radio-contaminated excreta have been placed in the bottom of the sealed container 13.

[0112] Once the support trolley 33 is correctly positioned, with the removable container 12 located in line with the container opening 16, the locking pin 38 is activated to assemble the support trolley 33 with the carrier frame 2 of the seat 1.

[0113] The upper part of the container 15 is then fixed to the seating structure 4 by passing through the central seating opening 7, covering the upper surface 4a of the seating structure 4 and the lateral surface 5a of the outer edge of the seating 5, and then clamping the clamping means 19a on the side or under the seating structure 4.

[0114] Seat 1 is then ready to be used by the patient, according to their needs, in particular to collect their radio-contaminated urine.

[0115] Depending on the protocol implemented (end of treatment, or end of day, or after a certain time of use, or after collection of a certain volume of excreta...) the sealed container 13 must be removed for the treatment of its contents.

[0116] The watertight container 13 is then separated from the seating structure 4; the support trolley 33 is separated from the carrier chassis 2; the watertight container 13 is closed by the closing means 18 and it is totally integrated into the removable container 12.

[0117] The upper opening 31 of the removable container 12 can then be sealed by the radio-protected lid element 32, in order to store it for a suitable time to obtain an acceptable level of radioactivity required.

[0118] The sealed container 13 with its contents can then be discarded or destroyed by any appropriate means, and the removable container 12 can be reused.

Claims

Demands

1. A site (1) for the collection of radio-contaminated excreta from a patient, which site (1) comprises: - a supporting chassis (2) comprising means of support on the ground (3), - a seating structure (4), suitable for receiving the patient in a seated position, which seating structure (4), mounted on the supporting frame (2), is in the shape of a crown comprising an external seating edge (5) and an internal seating edge (6) delimited by a central seating opening (7), - means of collection (11) for recovering radio-contaminated excreta expelled by the patient sitting on said seating structure (4), characterized in that said means of collection (11) comprise: - a removable container (12), adapted to be placed under said central seating opening (7) of the seating structure (4), which removable container (12) is made at least partly of radio-protective material, - a removable sealed container (13) for the collection of said radio-contaminated excreta, which sealed container (13) comprises a lower container part (14) and an upper container part (15) provided with a container opening (16) delimited by a container opening rim (17), which sealed container (13) includes a closure means (18) for closing said upper part of container (15), which sealed container (13) is adapted to be positioned in said removable container (12) with its container opening (16) open under said central seating orifice (7), or at the level of the latter, to collect said radio-contaminated excreta.

2. Seat (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said sealed container (13) is in the form of a flexible pouch.

3. Seat (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said upper container portion (15) comprises removable fastening means (19, 19a) for its removable attachment to said seat structure (4), and in an open position of its container opening (16) at said central seat orifice (7).

4. Seat (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that said removable fastening means (19, 19a) comprise a clamping means (19a) provided on said container opening edge (17), said upper part of container (15) being arranged, after positioning under said seating structure (4) and passing through said central seating orifice (7), to cover an upper surface (4a) of said seating structure (4) and a lateral surface (5a) of said external seating edge (5), and to be fixed on the side or under said seating structure (4) by tightening said clamping means (19a). [Claims] Seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a movable flap (24), mounted on a hinge system (25), arranged to occupy: (i) an active position by resting on an upper surface (4a) of said seating structure (4) and closing said central seating opening (7), and (ii) an inactive position, away from said seating structure (4), which movable toilet seat (24) is made at least partly of radio-protective material.

6. Seat (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a removable protective cover (27) arranged to cover said movable seat (24).

7. Seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said carrier chassis (2) is a rolling chassis comprising means for bearing on the ground in the form of casters (3). [Claims] Seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a support trolley (33) mounted on wheels (35) for receiving said removable container (12).

9. Seat (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said support trolley (33) comprises a pull handle (36) extending upwards for its movement operations on the ground by an operator.

10. Seat (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises removable fastening means (38) between said pull handle (36) of the support trolley (33) and said carrier chassis (2).

11. Seat (1) according to any one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that said removable container (12) comprises a container body (30) provided with a top container opening (31) and a removable lid element (32) for the removable closure of said top container opening (31), and in that said seat (1) comprises a housing (39) for said lid element (32) separate from said container body (30), which housing (39) is provided on the pull handle (36) of the support trolley (33).

12. Seat (1) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that said support trolley (33) comprises a vertical axis ferrule (37) arranged for receiving said removable container (12).

13. Seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said removable container (12) comprises a container body (30) and a removable lid element (32), which container body (30) and lid element (32) comprise a lead thickness sandwiched between an inner coating and an outer coating.

14. Seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that said sealed container (13) comprises an absorption means and a disinfecting means for radio-contaminated excreta.

15. Leak-proof container (13) for the collection of radio-contaminated excreta, adapted to equip a seat (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it is in the form of a flexible pouch comprising an upper container part (15) provided with a container opening (16), and a lower container part (14), between which lower container part (14) and upper container part (15) is provided the closure means (18) in the form of a closure ring (20), which closure ring (20) comprises a free peripheral rim (21) equipped with a leak-proof closure means (22).

Images