Methods and systems are provided for diagnosis and possibly treatment of the large intestine, using samples from at least three portions of the large intestine, including sampling the ascending proximal portion thereof. Samples from the ascending portions of the large intestine were found to differ in their microbial characteristics significantly from prior art stool samples and from samples taken from the descending and transverse parts of the large intestine—enabling more accurate diagnosis and possibly more effective treatment of diseases of the large intestine.

A hand-held personal hygiene device includes a main body having an upper end, a lower end, and a pump therein. The pump is configured to pump water or another fluid from an inlet port at the upper end to an outlet port at the lower end. A reservoir has a lower base configured to removably seat in the upper end of the main body to engage and open a self-closing valve with the inlet port of the main body. A tubular nozzle member has a lower end comprising one or more nozzle outlets and an upper end configured to be removably secured to the outlet port of the main body causing liquid pumped by the pump to flow through the tubular nozzle member to the one or more nozzle outlets. The reservoir and the main body may be aligned to form a liquid flow path that may be held vertically to allow gravity flow from the reservoir to the pump.

An ear irrigation device includes a water reservoir, a water inlet chamber, a water inlet assembly communicating with the water inlet chamber and a water outlet assembly communicating with the water inlet chamber. A piston is inserted at one end of the water inlet chamber, the piston and an interior of the water inlet chamber form a chamber, a recess is formed on a side of the piston away from the chamber, a rotor is rotatably connected in the recess, the rotor is connected with a link, an end of the link away from the rotor is connected with an eccentric rotating assembly, one end of the water inlet assembly communicates with the water reservoir, a check valve is arranged in the water inlet assembly, and another check valve is arranged in the water outlet assembly.

A medical device is provided for irrigation of a patient wound site. The device contains a tube having a proximal portion adapted to receive an irrigation solution, a distal portion having a nozzle and an intermediate portion for transporting the solution. The tube has a barrel portion that may be manipulated by a user to position the device relative to the wound site. A distinctive nozzle has a body formed with a distally leading channel presenting a semispherical first spatial conformation and a proximally leading opening formed in the body presenting a second spatial conformation intersecting the semispherical terminus. This geometry, derived from principles of flow mechanics discussed herein, defines what will be described as an “effective diameter” of the nozzle. An assembly and system utilizing the device are also disclosed. The invention utilizes a fluid-isolating durable peristaltic pump for a continuous flow of irrigation solution, along with a single use tube set that embodies the device.

A device including a water reservoir, in which water reservoir is configured to be operable for storing water. A head portion, in which the head portion contains an ear irrigation tip, a top tubing that is configured to be operable for directing water from the water reservoir to the ear irrigation tip, a wash basin, wherein the wash basin is operable for catching water coming out of the ear irrigation tip, and a splash disk, wherein the splash disk is configured to be operable for redirecting the water and/or debris into the water basin. A main body, in which the main body contains a control interface, wherein the control interface is configured to change a flow rate of the water being pumped out of the ear irrigation tip.

An anal irrigation system and a method for maintenance of an anal irrigation system comprising a tube assembly is disclosed, the method comprising a container and a tube assembly, the method comprising: providing instructions instructing a user to arrange a distal end of the tube assembly in the container for forming a liquid path and to fill liquid into the container; detecting liquid in the container; initiating a disinfection procedure, the disinfection procedure comprises; circulating the liquid in the liquid path for one or more cycles, the one or more cycles comprise one or more liquid circulations; providing instructions instructing the user to discharge liquid from the liquid path.

A system includes a probe, a processor, and a bubble detector. The probe is configured for insertion into a lumen of a patient and is coupled to an irrigation pump. The processor is configured to control delivery of irrigation fluid to the probe by turning on and controlling the irrigation pump. The bubble detector is coupled to a proximal portion of the probe. In response to the irrigation pump being turned on, the bubble detector is configured to automatically start detection of gas bubbles in the irrigated fluid, and transmit fail-safe signals indicating fail-safe bubble detection is operational. The processor is further configured to monitor the fail-safe signals and, in absence of fail-safe signals, to automatically disable delivery of the irrigation fluid.

A system and method for providing fluid to a tissue site is described. The method fluidly couples an instillation therapy system to the tissue site and monitors a pressure supplied to the tissue site by a reduced-pressure source with the instillation therapy system for a time period. The method provides fluid to the tissue site with the instillation therapy system in response to the pressure at the tissue site during the time period. The system includes a pressure sensor fluidly coupled to the tissue site to measure a pressure proximate the tissue site. A valve and a flow meter are fluidly between a fluid reservoir and the tissue site. A controller is communicatively coupled to the pressure sensor and the valve and configured to monitor the pressure at the tissue site and a volume of fluid flow to the tissue and, in response, operate the valve.

A method for inflating an inflatable balloon of a catheter for a bowel irrigation system is disclosed. The bowel irrigation system comprises a container for holding a liquid, a catheter, a tubing connecting the container and the catheter, a pump, a control unit, and a pressure sensor. The catheter is adapted for being inserted into a rectum of a user and comprises an inflatable balloon. The pump is adapted for pumping liquid from the container to the balloon through the tubing. The control unit comprises a processor. The pressure sensor is in fluid communication with an interior of the inflatable balloon. The method comprises the steps of providing a liquid in the container and initiating an inflation process comprising a feedback loop comprising the steps of (i) inflating the balloon by a predefined amount of liquid, (ii) assessing a static pressure inside the balloon, and (iii) selecting an output based on the static pressure as assessed according to step (ii), the output being selected from restarting the feedback loop according to step (i), skipping step (i) and proceeding to assessing the static pressure according to step (ii), and terminating the feedback loop. Thereby, a method for providing a stepwise inflation of an inflatable balloon for a bowel irrigation system is provided.

A dual-action pump includes a cylinder, a piston and a controller. The cylinder includes first and second inlet-outlet ports, each of the first and second inlet-outlet ports is configured to alternately intake a fluid to the cylinder and output the fluid from the cylinder. The piston is configured to be moved within the cylinder in a periodic cycle that alternately reverses a direction of movement of the piston, so as to pump the fluid through the first and second inlet-outlet ports. The controller is configured to control the movement of the piston within the cylinder, including setting to the piston: (a) a first speed, during a first predefined interval that precedes reversing the direction of movement, (b) a second speed, larger than the first speed, during a second predefined interval that follows reversing the direction, and (c) a baseline speed, smaller than the first speed, outside the first and second intervals.