BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to equipment for collecting fecal material and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a rectal catheter. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Patients with bowel movements that are frequent or left unclean even for a short period often suffer from irritation along the anal canal, perianus, and perineum ranging from rashes to ulcers. Further stool passings with such irritations can inflict pain to an already very ill patient as well as exacerbate an existing unpleasant condition and incurring greater medical expenses. Moreover, if left untreated, continued bowel movements have been medically shown to have an adverse impact on a patient&#39;s clinical outcome by increasing the possibility of morbidity and mortality. 
     Currently, various related devices are designed for alleviating incontinence or for obtaining biomedical samples. These devices are typically for periodic insertion along the rectum and anal canal and are not designed for prolonged insertion. 
     Accordingly, there is a long felt need for an anorectal device for continuous insertion along and for protection of the anal canal, perianus, and perineum from unfavorable irritation caused by direct and prolonged contact with fecal material. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, an anorectal apparatus for insertion in an anorectum including a body and a passageway extending through the body. The body includes a contact head in engagement with the anorectum and a flange, extending from the contact head, in engagement with the anal canal. Fecal material is thus discharged from the rectum, via the passageway, by traveling from the contact head through the flange. 
     The anorectal apparatus protects the anal canal, the perianus, and the perineum from direct and prolonged contact with fecal material such that the anorectal apparatus is continuously inserted in the anorectum. It should be added that the anorectal apparatus is preferably shaped to accommodate the biological contouring of the anorectum. 
     Specifically, the flange includes a sphincter contact member secured to the contact head whereby fecal material from the contact head travels through the passageway within the sphincter contact member. An anal verge stopper member extending substantially downwardly from the sphincter contact member is also provided whereby fecal material from the sphincter contact member travels thorough the passageway within the anal verge stopper member. The flange further includes an applicator member extending substantially downwardly from the anal verge stopper member whereby fecal material from the anal verge stopper member travels from the anal verge stopper member through the passageway within the applicator member. 
     The contact head includes a contact membrane for facilitating the gathering of fecal material whereby the passageway is in communication with the contact membrane to thus receive fecal material from the contact membrane. The contact membrane, in turn, includes a seat for anchoring the anorectal apparatus against the anorectum. The contact membrane further includes a plurality of anchoring elements, each anchoring element extending outwardly from the contact membrane for enhancing anchoring contact between the contact membrane and the anorectum. Moreover, a plurality of elemental notches are provided between the anchoring elements for increasing the surface area by which the anorectum contacts and attaches to the anchoring elements. In particular, the anchoring elements and the elemental notches are each configured for cooperative engagement with the columns of Morgani. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a method for inserting an apparatus in an anorectum includes inserting an anorectal apparatus in an anorectum for engagement with fecal material within the rectum and discharging fecal material from the rectum via the anorectal apparatus. Specifically, the anorectal apparatus is inserted in an anorectum by passing a contact membrane of the anorectal apparatus through the anal canal and positioning the contact membrane within the anorectum. It should also be added that the anorectal apparatus is preferably shaped to accommodate the biological contouring of the anorectum. 
     Passing the contact membrane of the apparatus through the anal canal includes resting an anal verge stopper member of the anorectal apparatus along the anal verge. Positioning the contact membrane includes anchoring a seat of the contact membrane against the anorectum. Positioning the contact membrane further includes increasing the surface area by which the rectum contacts and attaches to the anchoring elements via a plurality of elemental notches provided between anchoring elements. 
     Discharging fecal material from the rectum via the anorectal apparatus includes gathering fecal material from the rectum via the contact membrane, drawing fecal material through a passageway provided by the apparatus, and discharging fecal material from the flange. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an anorectal apparatus and associated methods for protection of the anal canal, perianus, and perineum from unfavorable irritation caused by direct and prolonged contact with fecal material. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an anorectal apparatus optimally configured for continuous insertion along the anal canal, perianus, and perineum. 
     Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art in light of the following. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an anorectal apparatus according to the preferred embodiment for continuous insertion along and for protection of the anal canal, perianus, and perineum. 
     FIG. 2 shows an anorectal apparatus from the side. FIG. 2 a  illustrates the anorectal apparatus along the left side. FIG. 2 b  illustrates the anorectal apparatus along the front side. FIG. 2 c  illustrates the anorectal apparatus along the right side. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the anorectal apparatus of FIG. 2 along the back side. 
     FIG. 4 shows an anorectal apparatus from the top and the bottom. FIG. 4 a  illustrates a top view of the anorectal apparatus. FIG. 4 b  illustrates a bottom view of the anorectal apparatus. 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom view of an anorectal apparatus featuring one embodiment for the anchoring elements. 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of an anorectal apparatus featuring another embodiment for the anchoring elements. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms, the figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components or steps. 
     FIGS. 1-4 illustrate an anorectal apparatus  1  according to the preferred embodiment for insertion into the anal canal and rectum of a patient. The preferred anorectal apparatus  1  is formed as a single piece although those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the anorectal apparatus may be constructed from a plurality of pieces. 
     Generally, the anorectal apparatus  1  includes a contact head  20  for engagement with the rectum and interior anal sphincters. A flange  10  extending downwardly from the contact head  20  is provided for engagement with the anal canal and external anal sphincters. The anorectal apparatus  1  includes a material passageway  30  extending through the anorectal apparatus  1  for passing fecal material from the contact head  20  through the flange  10 . Therefore, operatively, the anorectal apparatus  1  is inserted through the anal canal and rectum so that the contact head  20  is seated above the internal anal sphincter within the rectum and the flange  10  extends outwardly from the anal canal, thereby allowing the discharge of fecal material through the anorectal apparatus  1  without contacting the patient. 
     As such, the flange  10  preferably comprises a sphincter contact member  11  just below and secured to the contact head  10 , an anal verge stopper member  12  extending substantially downwardly from the sphincter contact member  11 , and an applicator member  13  extending substantially downwardly from the anal verge stopper member  12 . Thus, the sphincter contact member  10 , the anal verge stopper member  12 , and the applicator member  13  are all linked and in communication with one another so that the material passageway  30  passes though each member along the length of the flange  10 . In addition, because it must remain lodged within the relatively narrow anal canal as well as potentially facilitate connection with other instrumentation, the flange  10  is preferably constructed of a non-biologically irritating and flexible material, such as plastic or rubber. 
     Although those of ordinary skill in the art may contemplate other suitable shapes, it must be emphasized that the sphincter contact member  11 , the anal verge stopper member  12 , and the applicator member  13  all maintain a shape for facilitating long term insertion within the rectum and anal canal without discomfort to the patient. In particular, the sphincter contact member  11  is preferably narrow to accommodate the relatively narrow contouring of the anal canal and external anal sphincters. The anal verge stopper member  12  is preferably bulbous in shape so that the anal verge stopper member  12  rests along the anal verge, thereby preventing an unfavorable condition where the anorectal apparatus  1  completely enters and remains lodged within the rectum. The applicator member  13  is preferably narrow and tapered for facilitating discharge of fecal material from the anorectal apparatus  1  via a discharge tip  15 . 
     Moreover, the preferred applicator member  13  features a connection groove  16  for facilitating connection with various other instrumentation, such as a fecal material collector bag (not shown) or a tube (not shown). The connector groove  16  is configured to facilitate any standard connector thereon, such connectors as a PHARMASEAL “Plastic Tubing Connector  5  in 1” manufactured by Baxter Healthcare Corporation of Valencia, Calif. as well as a “Sims Connector” manufactured by Busse of Haupauge, N.Y. As such, one embodiment contemplates linking the anorectal apparatus  1  with a pump (not shown) via the connection groove  16  for drawing fecal material from the rectum through the anorectal apparatus  1 . 
     The contact head  20  includes a contact membrane  22  generally for facilitating the gathering of fecal material, whereby the flange  10  extends downwardly from the contact membrane  22  and the material passageway  30  within the flange  10  is in communication with the contact membrane  22 . The contact membrane  22  is preferably constructed of a pliant and non-biologically irritating material, such as plastic or rubber, so that the contact membrane  22  can collapse while traveling through the relatively narrow anal canal and expand outwardly before finally resting above the internal anal sphincter. 
     Furthermore, although those of ordinary skill in the art may contemplate other suitable shapes, it must be emphasized that the contact membrane  22  maintains a shape for facilitating long term insertion within the rectum without discomfort to the patient. Specifically, the contact membrane  22  preferably comprises a funnel-like shape for directing fecal material into the flange  10  as well as for resting above the internal anal sphincter. As such, the contact membrane  22  includes a seat  24  for anchoring the anorectal apparatus  1  against the internal anal sphincter. 
     The contact membrane  22  further includes a plurality of anchoring elements  26  extending outwardly from the contact membrane  22  for enhancing anchoring contact between the contact membrane  22  and the rectum. Additionally, elemental notches  28  are provided between each anchoring element  26  to allow flesh and mucosa associated with the rectum to push up through the elemental notches  28  so as to move above and cling to the anchoring elements  26 , thereby increasing the surface area by which the rectum can contact and attach to the anchoring elements  26 . In the preferred embodiment, the shape of the anchoring elements  26  and the depth of the elemental notches  28  are configured for cooperative engagement with the columns of Morgani, especially between eight and fourteen columns of Morgani. 
     Various embodiments for the anchoring elements  26  are shown in FIGS. 4-6. In FIG. 4, the anchoring elements  26  maintain a “scallop” shape for engagement with the columns of Morgani. The anchoring elements  26  in FIG. 1 are configured in a “flower petal” shape for engagement with the columns of Morgani. The anchoring elements  26  of FIG. 6 maintain a scallop shape similar to that of FIG. 4 except the anchoring elements  26  of FIG. 6 extend further outward than those of FIG. 4 and, thus, the corresponding elemental notches  28  are deeper, thereby providing enhanced engagement with the columns of Morgani. 
     The material passageway  30  includes a material passageway inlet  33 , shown in FIG. 4 a , in communication with the contact membrane  22 , for receiving fecal material from the rectum. The material passageway  30  includes a material passageway outlet  36 , shown in FIG. 1, in communication with the discharge tip  15 , for discharging fecal material from the anorectal apparatus  1 . Although those of ordinary skill in the art may contemplate other suitable shapes, it must be emphasized that the material passageway  30  maintains a shape for facilitating long term insertion within the rectum and anal canal without discomfort to the patient. Specifically, in the preferred embodiment, the material passageway  30  comprises an elliptical shape, generally resembling the shape of the anal canal, for directing fecal material through the flange  10 . 
     Therefore, in operation, the anorectal apparatus  1  is inserted up the rectum, the contact membrane  22  being inserted first, through the anal canal until the anal verge stopper member  12  sufficiently rests against the anal verge. Fecal material is thus gathered from the rectum by the contact membrane  22 , enters the material passageway inlet  33 , travels through the flange  10 , and exits through the material passageway outlet  36 . Although those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize other suitable means for drawing fecal material through the anorectal apparatus  1  such as pump, fecal material is preferably drawn though the anorectal apparatus  1  by gravitational forces. As such, the anorectal apparatus  1  may be continuously inserted along the rectum and anal canal, thereby protecting the rectum and anal canal from unfavorable irritation caused by direct and prolonged contact with fecal material. 
     Although the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing embodiment, such description has been for exemplary purposes only and, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, many alternatives, equivalents, and variations of varying degrees will fall within the scope of the present invention. That scope, accordingly, is not to be limited in any respect by the foregoing description, rather, it is defined only by the claims that follow.
An anorectal apparatus for insertion in an anorectum including a body and a passageway extending through the body. The anorectal apparatus protects the anal canal, the perianus, and the perineum from direct and prolonged contact with fecal material such that the anorectal apparatus is continuously inserted in the anorectum. Inasmuch, the body includes a contact head in engagement with the anorectum and a flange, extending from the contact head, in engagement with the anal canal. Fecal material is thus discharged from the rectum, via the passageway, by traveling from the contact head through the flange. It should be added that the anorectal apparatus is preferably shaped to accommodate the biological contouring of the anorectum.