Fe-Col® Faecal Sample Collection Papers
Hygienic and Convenient for the patient, quality Samples for the Laboratory
The Fe-Col® faecal collection device provides a simple, easy-to-use, efficient and hygienic stool collection method.
For patients it offers a quick, simple solution to a frustrating and potentially messy problem.
For the laboratory testing the faeces, it prevents the risk of sample contamination, ensuring fewer test errors.
Applications
Faeces are tested for a variety of reasons, most commonly for the determination of the presence of bacteria or parasites, for fat content, for faecal occult blood which can indicate bowel cancer and for Calprotectin which can help discriminate between Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Unlike most other laboratory tests, stool samples are normally collected by the patient at home. However, many people find this collection process difficult, unpleasant and unhygienic to perform. Cling film, paper plates, and copious amounts of toilet paper are the most commonly used methods, but these are then difficult to dispose of and may cause plumbing blockages.
More than 50% of patients responding to screening take a stool sample directly from the toilet bowl. Sampling a stool from the toilet basin is technically difficult, but also creates potential measurement errors, due to loss of content from the stool into the surrounding water, or contamination from toilet sanitisers and toilet water additives.
The unique, disposable Fe-Col® stool collector device has been developed to solve these problems.
Comprising of a simple paper loop, it is easily and securely slipped over the toilet seat to collect the sample. The paper is strong enough to hold the stool, whilst a small test sample is taken.
Following this, the Fe-Col can be torn at each side and allowed to fall into the toilet bowl. It can then be flushed away as Fe-Col is completely degradable.
For the testing laboratory, Fe-Col eliminates variation and the presence of unknown factors, caused by a variety of collection methods. This ensures greater accuracy of test data and fewer test errors.
Available on its own with clear pictorial instructions for use, or in a dispenser box for clinics to give to patients to use at home.
NOTE: appropriate UN3373 packaging should also be provided for patients to return their sample.
Benefits
For The Patient
For The Testing Laboratory
Features
Ease of use
No toilet blockages
No mess
Nothing to throw away
Use the toilet as normal
Greater uptake on screening programmes
Less contamination
Less variability
More accurate results
Reduction of pre-analytical errors
Fewer repeat tests
Reduces costs
Made from wood free paper
Flushable and biodegradable
No optical brightness additives (e.g. bleach)
Includes simple instructions for use
Flow seal packaging
Small and compact
Recycled material
User Feedback
"Such a simple design, yet so effective, as they say! Extremely easy to use. I was worried it might not 'catch' the sample, as I thought the paper looked quite narrow - but no problem at all. It caught it and held it in place to collect the sample, so plenty strong enough too. Then the whole thing flushed away very easily. Brilliant! They definitely should provide these on the NHS or, at least, ask the patient if they'd like to purchase one."
"I had taken my samples before without using a Fe-Col, with some difficulty. Fe-Col makes the sampling a lot easier."
"I think more people would do the test [Bowel Cancer Screening] if Fe-Col was supplied with the sampling kit. Without the Fe-Col catching a sample seems a daunting and unpleasant task."