UOAA Discussion Board

Hi all,

Just wondering if users thought this idea for an ostomy bag design would be useful. I'm an engineer with many years of biomedical experience. I do not currently have a bag, but my colon is likely to be taken out.

Basically it would be like a regular belt which is hollow on the ventral side, of volume sufficient to hold poop and ride at the level of the stoma and cover it. The dorsal side would be the same as a regulator belt so that sitting would not be uncomfortable. Rather than using gravity to feed a free hanging bag hanging down from the stoma, a the belt would have an internal vacuum pulling poop to the sides.

This would allow a thinner bag to be used enhancing concealment, free up the waist line so that jeans and other pants can be freely worn and hold the bag to the body much more securely in all positions.

Hi,
I think the hanging pouch is a big issue for most. The way I resolved this was to put on my pouch sideway with the opening to the side. This way the pouch was not decided by the belt line and the whole capacity could be used. I could let gas out too without opening my pants, by simply pulling out my shirt on the side and let the gas out.

With your design you have to consider that if the diameter of the belt is narrow and causes resistance that can lead to the accumulation of stool around the stoma and so called pancaking which leads to leakage.
The other thing is to be able to let gas out.
And lastly not to create a bulk at the front.

Question: how would you create the vacuum to carry the stool away from the stoma?

All the best!

Hello michaelm7001, At this point I think your bag design is overengineered. A poopbag is just a poopbag. Because it needs to be changed regularly, it needs to be inexpensive and non-obtrusive. Also, the stoma should always emerge BELOW the beltline (discuss this with your surgeon.) If you do have a colectomy, you will likely find that the main problem is not the bag but leakage around the wafer, which is attached to the abdomen and holds the bag. What I suggest that if you do have the surgery, you use standard equipment for a year or so and then use your engineering expertise to make improvements. Good luck and I wish you well.

Have you done any drawings on the computer? I am visual person though i understand due to coming up with products w/o ideas being taken by others is important too. So just wondering.

Congratulations for sharing your ingenuity with us. I greatly admire 'those who boldly go before' the rest of us. 'Have seen a great many ventures in appliance design since 1977 & have certainly appreciated work involved. Have you discussed your ideas with anyone at one of the major manufacturers? They might be able to guide you. Thank you for sharing. Good luck with your future innovations. In case you find a colectomy necessary, I am glad your are aware of our board & hope we can provide you our help & support.