초록 ▼

The present invention is an ostomy-bag cover that provides a waterproof covering for an ostomy bag. This permits a patient wearing an ostomy bag to shower or bathe without getting his or her ostomy bag wet. In some embodiments, the ostomy-bag cover is constructed such that the patient can engage in

The present invention is an ostomy-bag cover that provides a waterproof covering for an ostomy bag. This permits a patient wearing an ostomy bag to shower or bathe without getting his or her ostomy bag wet. In some embodiments, the ostomy-bag cover is constructed such that the patient can engage in water related activities, including swimming, while wearing the ostomy-bag cover over the ostomy bag and prevent the ostomy bag from getting wet. In some embodiments, the ostomy-bag cover includes a resealable opening configured to allow the patient to empty the ostomy bag without the need to remove the ostomy-bag cover. In other embodiments, the ostomy-bag cover includes a waterproof exhaust vent to allow air to be removed from the ostomy-bag cover.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for covering an ostomy bag of a patient, the ostomy bag having an ostomy-bag flange, wherein the ostomy-bag flange adheres to the patient's skin surrounding a stoma, the apparatus comprising: protective film means for covering the ostomy bag and its ostomy-bag flange in order to prev

1. An apparatus for covering an ostomy bag of a patient, the ostomy bag having an ostomy-bag flange, wherein the ostomy-bag flange adheres to the patient's skin surrounding a stoma, the apparatus comprising: protective film means for covering the ostomy bag and its ostomy-bag flange in order to prevent water from reaching the ostomy bag and its ostomy-bag flange; andpressure-sensitive adhesive flange means for attaching the protective film means to a patient, wherein the flange means for attaching is connected to the means for covering, wherein the flange means for attaching has a plurality of areas each having a different thickness, including a first annular area that is adjacent the means for covering and that has a width about half of a total width of the cover flange and having a first thickness, and a second annular area that is adjacent the first annular area and that has a width about half of a total width of the cover flange and having a second thickness that is thinner than the first thickness,wherein the pressure-sensitive flange means for attaching forms a water-resistant seal to an area of the patient's skin, the apparatus further comprising means for extending the water-resistant seal to further cover the patient's umbilicus. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flange means for attaching has a thickness that tapers from the first thickness adjacent to the body to the second thickness nearer an outer-most edge of the cover flange. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flange means for attaching has a plurality of pressure-sensitive adhesive annular regions including a first adhesive annular region and a separate second adhesive annular region, concentric to, and outside of, the first adhesive annular region of the flange means for attaching, wherein the plurality of pressure-sensitive adhesive annular regions provide an additional watertight seal between the ostomy-bag cover and the patient's skin. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the flange means for attaching includes: a first removable peel-away covering over the adhesive on the first adhesive annular region of the flange means for attaching;a second removable peel-away covering over the adhesive on the second adhesive annular region of the flange means for attaching that is concentric to, separate from, and outside of, the first adhesive annular region of the flange means for attaching. 5. An apparatus for covering an ostomy bag of a patient, the ostomy bag having an ostomy-bag flange, wherein the ostomy-bag flange is configured to adhere to the patient's skin surrounding a stoma, the apparatus comprising: an ostomy-bag cover, wherein the ostomy-bag cover is configured to cover the ostomy bag and its ostomy-bag flange in order to prevent water from reaching the ostomy bag and its ostomy-bag flange, and wherein the ostomy-bag cover includes:a body formed from a liquid-impermeable membrane; anda cover flange connected to the body, the cover flange having a patient-skin-contact face and a distal face, wherein the patient-skin-contact face has a pressure-sensitive adhesive that releasably attaches the patient-skin-contact face of the flange to the patient's skin surrounding the ostomy-bag flange and forms a watertight seal to an area of the patient's skin that surrounds the ostomy-bag-flange, wherein the watertight seal formed by the cover flange is configured such that the patient's umbilicus is contained within a perimeter formed by the watertight seal. 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cover flange has a plurality of areas each having a different material thickness, including a first area adjacent to the body and a second area adjacent the first area and nearer an outer-most edge of the cover flange, wherein the material thickness of second area is thinner than the material thickness of the first area. 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the ostomy-bag cover body has a truncated-circular-cone shape. 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the ostomy-bag cover body has a truncated-elliptical-cone shape. 9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the patient-skin-contact side of the flange is provided by adhesive tape which is attached to the flange with an adhesive. 10. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cover flange includes at least a first flap extension of the cover flange, and a second flap extension of the cover flange at a non-zero distance along a circumference of the cover flange from the first flap extension. 11. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein an outer edge of the cover flange is substantially rectangular with rounded corners. 12. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pressure sensitive adhesive includes an adhesive tape ring, wherein the adhesive tape ring has a back face and a front face and wherein the front face of the adhesive tape ring has the pressure-sensitive adhesive and the back face is attached to the patient-skin-contact face of the flange with an adhesive. 13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cover flange has a plurality of material thicknesses, wherein the cover flange's thickness tapers from a thicker section adjacent to the body to a thinner section nearer an outer-most edge of the cover flange. 14. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pressure-sensitive adhesive on the patient-skin-contact face of the cover flange includes a first adhesive region, and a second adhesive region that is concentric to, and outside of, the first adhesive region. 15. An apparatus for covering a medical dressing on a patient, the apparatus comprising: a cover, wherein the cover is configured to cover the medical dressing in order to prevent water from reaching the medical dressing, and wherein the cover includes: a body formed from a liquid-impermeable membrane; anda cover flange connected to the body, the cover flange having a patient-skin-contact face and a distal face, wherein the patient-skin-contact face has a pressure-sensitive adhesive that releasably attaches the patient-skin-contact face of the flange to the patient's skin surrounding the medical dressing and forms a watertight seal to an area of the patient's skin that surrounds the medical dressing, wherein the cover flange has a first thickness in a first annular area next to the body and a second constant thickness in a second annular area surrounding the first annular area that is thinner than the first thickness. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the medical dressing further includes an intravenous-connection site. 17. An apparatus for covering a medical dressing on a patient, the apparatus comprising: a cover, wherein the cover is configured to cover the medical dressing in order to prevent water from reaching the medical dressing, and wherein the cover includes:a body formed from a liquid-impermeable membrane; anda cover flange connected to the body, the cover flange having a patient-skin-contact face and a distal face, wherein the patient-skin-contact face has a pressure-sensitive adhesive that releasably attaches the patient-skin-contact face of the flange to the patient's skin surrounding the medical dressing and forms a watertight seal to an area of the patient's skin that surrounds the medical dressing, wherein the cover flange has a first thickness in a first annular area next to the body, a tapered thickness in a second annular region surrounding the first annular area, and a third constant thickness in a third annular area, surrounding the second annular area, that is thinner than the first thickness of the first annular area. 18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an outer edge of the cover flange is substantially rectangular with rounded corners. 19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an outer edge of the cover flange is oval shaped. 20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein an outer edge of the cover flange is substantially rectangular with rounded corners.