DESC:RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to Indian Provisional Application 257/MUM/2014 filed 24th Jan, 2014 and is incorporated herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an enema apparatus comprising of a bag, a flexible delivery tube, an applicator nozzle and a removable cap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

An enema is a common medical procedure whereby fluid is introduced into the rectum and colon of a patient. The fluids are introduced via the anus and the purpose is for medical reasons such as constipation or an encopresis. Enemas are also used as a rehydration therapy for the patients who are incapable of receiving I.V. therapy. The main medical use of the enema include bowel stimulation, relief of constipation, cleaning of lower bowel prior to surgical procedure, administration of medications into the rectum and injection of contrast substances for radiological imaging of the bowel, hepatic encephalopathy. Certain individuals also use enemas as an alternative medicine or detoxification treatment.

Bag-type device are already known in the prior art for the aforesaid purposes. Bags are known inter alia which are essentially constituted by two overlaying synthetic sheets of any dimensions and configurations, which are welded perimetrally together such that when the container is not being used, it assumes a completely flat configuration.

However, although these types of device suitably satisfied the technological, chemical and biological requirements of the uses for which they are intended, they have the serious drawback in that it is not possible to completely empty them. This derives from the fact that the inner mouth of the normal delivery tube of the said known bags are provided are disposed at the certain distances from the inner line of the corresponding end weld.

Other type of medical equipment currently exists in the art for administering an enema to the patients in need of this medical procedure consisting of an enema squeeze bottle filled with the fluid intended to induce, which is capped by a short applicator nozzle to be inserted in the patient’s rectum. This type of conventional enema application device suffers a major disadvantage caused by the length of the applicator nozzle, in that the nozzle is too short to allow medical personnel to easily administer the enema to the patient who occupies in supine or immobilized position. The short length of the applicator give rise to lack of clearance between the patient’s buttocks and the enema bottle, which make manipulation of the application nozzle into the rectum difficult, causing discomfort to the patients.

Moreover, the fact that it is impossible for the entire contents of the bag or bottle present in the art to be extracted and/or administrated is of great importance, especially when it is necessary to administer a determined quality.

A further disadvantage is the fact that after administration, known bags are thrown away, so resulting in the loss of the part of the contents which besides being of high cost can be rare or insufficiently available, or difficult to obtain.

Therefore there is a need of a device which obviates the aforesaid drawbacks.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a bag type apparatus, which is used to administer enema.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, efficient enema apparatus which is not only easy to handle but also of low cost.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent collapsible bag type enema apparatus having a flexible delivery tube, and an applicator nozzle with a removable cap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main aspect of the present invention is to provide to an apparatus to administer an enema comprising: an enema bag, wherein the enema bag includes an opening, a delivery tube, an applicator nozzle and a removable cap.

The another aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus to administer an enema comprising of delivery tube wherein delivery tube has two ends, one end is attached to the opening of the enema bag and on the other end an applicator nozzle is attached.

Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to the enema bag which is transparent and collapsible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an enema apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 is another perspective view of an enema apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an enema apparatus with dimensions in millimeter (mm) according to the invention.

The present invention will become apparent from a perusal of the following detail description of a present embodiment when taken in consideration with the accompanying drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following definitions are provided to facilitate understanding of certain terms used throughout the specification.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to an apparatus to administer enema comprising: an enema bag, wherein the enema bag includes an opening, a delivery tube, an applicator nozzle and a removable cap.

Another embodiment the present invention relates to enema bag 1 as shown in Fig. 1, 2 and 3.

The enema bag comprises essentially a body or a bag portion for fluid to be administered.

The body of the enema bag is preferably small enough to hold conveniently. When empty, the body is almost completely collapsed. The walls of enema bag can be made of transparent collapsible plastic film or polymer material, for example thermoplastic polymer material. The film may be calendered, cast or extruded plastic film which is preferably uniform in thickness and flexible enough to be folded easily. The enema bag can be folded slowly or as desired to push and pressurize the contents towards the delivery tube.

The enema bag is heat sealed around their edges with relatively small inlet and/or outlet tube extending through a sealed edge or edges. The seal is conveniently made by thermal impulse or electronic, heat sealing. Such seals are stronger than the film itself and are adequate enough to hold the pressure applied to the flexible bag. There is no glue or adhesive present to contact the ingredients of the bag. This bag is preferred for pressure resistance, handling and easy to transport.

The bag arrangement further includes a fluid outlet port opening, wherein the one end of the delivery tube is attached. This port opening is sealed around the tube to create a fluid tight seal around the delivery tube 2, preferably this opening port is located in the first half of the bag. The tube extending through the opening and sealed to the bag wall at that location create added stiffness for a lower end of a bag arrangement.

Further another embodiment of the present invention relates to the delivery tube 2 wherein delivery tube has two ends, wherein the one end is attach in the opening of the enema bag and on the other end applicator nozzle 3 is attached.

The delivery tube is being of more rigid construction than the collapsible walls of the bag. The delivery tube is transparent flexible, made of plastic or other material and of extra length. This length is sufficient enough to allow the applicator nozzle to be inserted in supine or immobilized patient’s rectum.

The one end of the delivery tube is in the port opening of the bag. To construct bag type enema apparatus, one end of the elongated tubing is inserted between the overlapping wall segments at the desired location of the port opening prior to forming the seal. Seal is then created, as discussed above or other methods generally known in the art. The seal creates a fluid tight seal around the port, which is thereby formed rigidly into the wall. Then wall is sealed to another wall by the techniques known in the art. In other way, where the port opening is not within the seal, an opening can be provided in the wall, the tube can be positioned in the opening and sealed into the wall using an appropriate sealing method.

The delivery tube can be made of transparent plastic or other known material in the art used for medical procedure of enema. This tube is made of material soft enough to be flexible but firm enough to maintain the integrity for introduction into the rectum. The tube is hollow and inside diameter of the delivery tube is enough to support the flow of medicament from bag to the applicator nozzle 3. The delivery tube may be of varying diameter, optionally the delivery tube may have clamp to stop the flow of the medicament when required. The other end of the delivery tube is attached to an applicator nozzle.

The applicator nozzle is made of plastic or other known material in the art and covered with a removable cap. The shape of applicator nozzle does not allow back flow of the medicament in the delivery tube.

This bag type of enema apparatus according to the invention enable a liquid composition to be packed at the manufacturing plant, transported and handled during commerce and safely stored if necessary for many months prior to use. The packages have dimensional stability and accept printing. Because of their strength and abuse-resistance, bag do not require a rigid outer protective carton or package but may be provide for marketing purpose. This type of package do not burst or split. The water transpiration rate is so low that the contents remain of substantially constant concentration.

This type of enema apparatus can be used for ready to use or other type of enema solution, one such example include Lactulose enema 20% w/v solution. Each ml of this solution contains Lactulose 200mg, sodium benzoate as preservative 3 mg, and purified water in sufficient quantity. This Lactulose enema 20% w/v solution is used for the treatment of constipation and hepatic encephalopathy.

In a preferred embodiment to deliver 275 ml of the 20% w/v Lactulose enema solution to a patient the dimensions of the bag type enema apparatus are shown in the Figure 3. All the dimensions are in millimeter (mm).

The one advantage of this type of enema apparatus is that the medicament may be administered directly from the bag containing medicament without transfer to another reservoir.

Another advantage of this type of packaging is that because of transparent packaging the flow rate of the medicament; content of the medicament is visible. The attachment of the delivery tube with inner lining of enema bag allows the complete extraction and/or administration of medicament present in the enema bag. Therefore there is no or minimal loss of the costly medicament.

Yet another advantage of this type of packaging is that the enema bag can be internally pressurized if desire and is transparent and flexible thus facilitating certain medical procedure.

Further yet another advantage of this type of apparatus is that it is of sufficiently low manufacturing cost that it may consider disposable after use.
,CLAIMS:1. An apparatus to administer lactulose enema comprising:
a) a prepackaged enema bag;
b) a removable cap;
c) a delivery tube, and
d) an applicator nozzle

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the deleivery tube has two ends one end attached to the enema bag and another end to the applicator nozzle.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein enema bag is collapsible.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the enema bag can be rolled to push the fluid towards nozzle.

5. An Apparatus according to claim1, wherein the device is ready to use.