Moldable Adhesive Ostomy Wafers for Stoma Conformance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ostomy devices often lack comfort and conformance, leading to inadequate sealing and potential leakage, which can cause skin irritation and discomfort for ostomates.
Innovation Solution
The ostomy wafers feature a convex layer with gaps or grooves and a moldable adhesive that conforms to the stoma and surrounding skin, providing a secure seal without requiring customization or cutting, and include built-in structures to accommodate various stoma shapes and sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional ostomy devices are used, then the device structure is simple, but the comfort and conformance to skin are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The ostomy wafer is divided into multiple functional layers including a convex layer, external layer, and adhesive layer with distinct properties. Each layer performs a specific function: the convex layer provides structural support and effluent channeling, the external layer ensures skin contact and comfort, and the adhesive layer provides secure attachment. This segmentation allows optimization of each layer independently to achieve overall comfort and conformance.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive layer incorporates moldable adhesive material with specific viscoelastic properties that allow it to conform to irregular skin surfaces and stoma geometries. The convex layer features varying thickness and density to provide both structural support and flexibility. This local quality enhancement enables the device to adapt to individual patient anatomy without requiring customization.
2Ease of operation
If ostomy devices require customization or cutting, then the fit can be precise, but the ease of application and removal is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive layer uses moldable adhesive material with temperature-dependent or time-dependent viscoelastic properties that allow it to be molded during application and then set to maintain the molded shape. This parameter change enables the adhesive to conform to the patient's anatomy without requiring cutting or customization, achieving both ease of application and precise fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The convex layer and adhesive layer are designed with dynamic properties that allow them to deform and conform during application, then maintain their molded shape during use. The moldable adhesive material transitions from a moldable state during application to a stable state during wear, providing both ease of application and secure attachment without requiring customization.
3Reliability
If the adhesive layer is made more conformable, then the sealing effectiveness improves, but the structural support may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into a convex layer for structural support and an adhesive layer for sealing and attachment. The convex layer maintains structural integrity and provides effluent channeling, while the adhesive layer provides conformability and sealing. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The ostomy wafer uses composite materials combining the convex layer material with adhesive properties and the adhesive layer material with structural properties. This composite construction allows the device to simultaneously provide structural support and conformable sealing, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The ostomy wafers provide enhanced comfort and security by effectively sealing against effluent leakage, reducing skin irritation, and allowing for easy application and removal, suitable for a variety of stoma types without the need for body scanning or personal customization.
Implementation Method 1
a moldable adhesive that conforms to the stoma and surrounding skin
Implementation Method 2
a first adhesive that adheres to external skin around a stoma to secure the ostomy wafer
Data Source
AI summary
Ostomy wafers, ostomy devices incorporating ostomy wafers, and methods of applying ostomy wafers and ostomy devices are disclosed herein. An ostomy wafer may include an external layer and a convex surface coupled to the external layer. An ostomy device may include an ostomy pouch and an ostomy wafer coupled to the ostomy pouch that includes an external layer and a convex surface coupled to the external layer.