Male external catheter with absorbent

• US 20060229576A1
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rochester Medical Corporation (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Rochester Medical Corporation (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Fryer, Richard D. Jr., Conway, Anthony J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,864,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/349
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/471 specially adapted for male use
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/82 with means for attaching to the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2006/044 with absorbent material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2006/045 with closing devices at the open end
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2006/047 with holding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15146 for urine collection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/530343 being natural fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4401 with absorbent pads diapers A61F13/49
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4407 Closure means other than valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/4408 Means for securing receptacles or bags to the body otherwise than by adhesives, e.g. belts, straps or harnesses A61F5/449 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/443 having adhesive seals for securing to the body, e.g. of hydrocolloid type, e.g. gels, starches, karaya gums adhesives or sealing pads therefor A61L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/451 Genital or anal receptacles A61F5/441, A61F5/442, A61F5/443 take precedence ; other body securing means A61F5/4408; devices for taking faeces samples A61B10/0038; devices for taking urine samples A61B10/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/453 for collecting urine or other discharge from male member A61F6/04 takes precedence ; devices for taking sperm samples A61B10/0058
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 6/02 for use by males A61F6/20 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 6/04 Condoms, sheaths or the like , e.g. combined with devices protecting against contagion

Abstract

The invention relates generally to external urinary catheters for males. More specifically, the invention relates to an external urinary catheter that includes an absorbent material to absorb urinary discharge. The absorbent material can be located in either a distal end of a tubular sheath, or in a receptacle that attached to the distal end of the tubular sheath. The tubular sheath of the external urinary catheter can include a tubular sheath of silicone rubber, wherein the sheath has an inner surface and an outer surface, and a layer of adhesive material directly and non-releasably bonded to the inner surface.

Claims

1. An external urinary catheter, comprising:

(a) a tubular sheath of silicone rubber, the tubular sheath having an inner surface and an outer surface;

(b) a layer of adhesive material for securing the tubular sheath to a user at a location during use, the layer of adhesive material being non-releasably bonded to a portion of the inner surface of the tubular sheath; and

(c) an absorbent material disposed in relation to the tubular sheath to absorb urinary discharge.

2. The catheter of claim 1 wherein prior to use, the inner surface of the silicone rubber sheath is rolled up upon the outer surface of the silicone rubber sheath for storage, and wherein the adhesive material bonded to the inner surface releasably contacts portions of the outer surface of the tubular sheath.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the tubular sheath has a main portion and a distal, the absorbent material being disposed in the distal end of the tubular sheath.

4. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the distal end of the tubular sheath has an end dimension that is different than a diameter of the main portion.

5. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the end dimension is an end diameter that is different than the diameter of the main portion.

6. The catheter of claim 5, wherein the end diameter is greater than the diameter of the main portion.

7. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the absorbent material includes cellulose fiber.

8. The catheter of claim 1, further including a semi-permeable barrier, the semi-permeable barrier being disposed at a location between the absorbent material and the portion of the inner surface of the tubular sheath to which the layer of adhesive material is non-releasably bonded.

9. The catheter of claim 1, further including a receptacle interconnected to a distal end of the tubular sheath, the absorbent material being disposed within an interior of the receptacle.

10. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the receptacle is detachably interconnected to the distal end of the tubular sheath.

11. The catheter of claim 9, further including a joining assembly positioned between the distal end of the tubular sheath and the receptacle, the joining assembly providing fluid communication between the tubular sheath and the receptacle.

12. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the joining assembly is detachably interconnected to the distal end of the tubular sheath.

13. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the joining assembly includes a fitting sized for receipt within an opening formed in the distal end of the tubular sheath, the fitting and receptacle being detachable from the opening of the tubular sheath.

14. The catheter of claim 9, wherein the receptacle is sized such that the receptacle resides within a user'"'"'s pelvic region when the catheter is worn.

15. The catheter of claim 14, wherein the interior volume of the receptacle is sized to collect no more than 50 mL of urine.

16. The catheter of claim 14, wherein the interior volume of the receptacle is between about 1.0 and 4.0 cubic inches.

17. The catheter of claim 14, wherein the receptacle has a width and a height, the width being between about 2.0 and 3.0 inches, and the height being between about 3.0 and 4.0 inches.

18. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the catheter secures to the user only at the location contacted by the layer of adhesive material.

19. An external urinary catheter, comprising:

(a) a tubular sheath having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end is open, and the distal end is closed, and having an inner surface and an outer surface;

(b) a layer of adhesive material non-releasably bonded to a portion of the inner surface; and

(c) an absorbent contained in the distal end of the tubular sheath.

20. An external urinary catheter, comprising:

(a) a tubular sheath having a construction made of silicone rubber, the silicone rubber sheath having an inner surface and an outer surface;

(b) a layer of adhesive material and non-releasably bonded to a first portion of the inner surface; and

(c) an absorbent material, enclosed within a receptacle, the receptacle being reversibly attached to the tubular sheath.

21. A method of using an external urinary catheter, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an external urinary catheter including a tubular sheath having a layer of adhesive material bonded to a portion of an inner surface of the tubular sheath, the catheter further including a receptacle joined to the tubular sheath and an absorbent material located within an interior volume of the receptacle;

(b) securing the tubular sheath at a location on a user by adhering the layer of adhesive material to the location, wherein the entire catheter fits within a pelvic region of the user when secured at the location;

(c) collecting discharged urine within the receptacle; and

(d) exchanging the receptacle containing the discharged urine with a replacement receptacle without removing the tubular sheath from the location.

22. The method of claim 21, where in the step of exchanging the receptacle includes detaching the receptacle containing the discharged urine from a distal end of the tubular sheath and attaching the replacement receptacle to the distal end of the tubular sheath.

23. A method of using an external urinary catheter, wherein the catheter comprises:

a tubular sheath comprising silicone rubber, wherein the sheath has an inner surface and an outer surface;

a layer of adhesive material non-releasably bonded to a first portion of the inner surface; and

an absorbent material, wherein the catheter is configured so that the absorbent material absorbs urine discharged into the tubular sheath, the method comprising the steps of;

(a) engaging the tip of a penis with the external urinary catheter, the external urinary catheter being in a pre-use orientation;

(b) unrolling the catheter and pressing the rolled up portion away from the tip of the penis; and

(c) removing the catheter from the penis after some urinary discharge has been absorbed by the absorbent material.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of removing the catheter includes pulling the upper portion of the catheter away from the penis and down over the outer surface of the tubular sheath.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of removing the catheter includes rolling the upper portion of the tubular sheath downward so that the catheter returns generally to the pre-use orientation, and removing the catheter from the tip of the penis.

26. A method of making an external urinary catheter, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) coating a first portion of a mandrel with an adhesive material;

(b) subsequently over coating the mandrel with a silicone rubber solution to form an overcoat layer made of unvulcanized silicone rubber;

(c) vulcanizing the unvulcanized silicone rubber such that constituents of the silicone rubber cross-link to form an elastomeric sheath having a unitary construction made of vulcanized silicone rubber;

the silicone rubber sheath having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface consisting essentially of silicone rubber; and

(d) providing an absorbent material, the absorbent material being disposed in relation to the silicone rubber sheath such that urine discharged into the sheath is absorbed by the absorbent material.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of providing the absorbent material includes placing the absorbent material in a distal end of the silicone rubber sheath.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of providing the absorbent material includes attaching a receptacle to a distal end of the silicone rubber sheath.