COMPACT URINARY CATHETER

• US 20160001037A1
• Filed: 09/17/2015
• Published: 01/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Compactcath, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Compactcath, Inc.
• Inventors: Hong, Daniel Wei-Chen, Choi, Myung Sun, Steele, Katherine Muterspaugh, Janka, David Philip, Mehra, Sean Kshitij, Stauber, Naama
• Granted Patent: US 10,265,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0018 having a plug, e.g. an inflatable plug for closing catheter lumens
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/087 Tools for handling tubes, e.g. crimping tool for connecting tubes to a connector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/002 Packages specially adapted therefor combined with means for introducing catheters, e.g. dispensers, A61M25/0113; catheter kit packages for surgical articles A61B50/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0097 characterised by the hub connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0111 Aseptic insertion devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/00 Drainage appliance for wounds or the like , i.e. wound drains, implanted drains negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90; implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 ; middle ear drainage A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/33 Hollow or hose-like material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/28 Arrangements for positively securing ends of material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/40 mobile or transportable
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4481 Arrangements or adaptations for driving the reel or the material by a spring B65H75/48

Abstract

A urinary catheter system includes a catheter, a sheath, an enclosure and a plug. The catheter has distal and proximal ends. The sheath is slidable along the catheter between first and second positions. The enclosure encloses a majority of the catheter and includes a bottom member, a top member, an outer peripheral wall defining an outer hole to allow advancement of the distal end, and an inner peripheral wall defining an inner hole, where the catheter is extendable through the inner hole. Rotating the top or bottom member relative to the other member causes the catheter to wind within the enclosure. The plug can seal the proximal end to block liquid flow, and a user can disengage the plug to allow liquid flow.

Claims

1. A urinary catheter and enclosure system, the system comprising:

a urinary catheter having a distal end configured for insertion into a urethra and a proximal end;

a sheath slidably disposed over the catheter at or near the distal end of the catheter;

an enclosure for enclosing a majority of the urinary catheter, the enclosure comprising;

a bottom member comprising a bottom surface;

a top member rotatably coupled with the bottom member such that it is rotatable relative to the bottom member about an axis of rotation, wherein the top member comprises a top surface;

an outer peripheral wall extending from the bottom surface to the top surface along an outer peripheral portion of the enclosure, the outer peripheral wall defining an outer hole configured to allow advancement of the catheter distal end therethrough; and

an inner peripheral wall extending from the bottom surface to the top surface along an inner peripheral portion of the enclosure, the inner peripheral wall defining an inner hole, wherein a proximal portion of the catheter extends through the inner hole, so that the proximal end is located outside of the enclosure;

wherein rotating one of the top member or the bottom member relative to the other member causes the catheter to wind into a spiral within the enclosure; and

a plug configured to seal the proximal end of the catheter to block urine flow therethrough, wherein a user can disengage the plug from the catheter to allow urine to flow through the proximal end.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plug comprises a protruding feature of the inner peripheral wall that extends radially inward from the inner peripheral wall.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plug is formed integrally with the inner peripheral wall.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the catheter comprises a funnel, and wherein the plug seals the proximal end of the catheter by engaging with the funnel.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plug is hingedly connected to the funnel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is configured such that a user can apply handheld pressure to a moveable, pinching portion of the outer peripheral wall to move the pinching portion radially inward, thereby pinching the catheter and restricting movement of the catheter through the outer hole.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein, upon the user releasing the handheld pressure, the pinching portion of the outer peripheral wall moves radially outward to stop pinching the catheter and to allow the catheter to be moved through the outer hole.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the outer hole is defined in part by the pinching portion of the outer peripheral wall.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein a cut-out space is defined by the outer peripheral wall and at least one of the top surface or the bottom surface, and wherein, upon the user applying the handheld pressure to the outer peripheral wall, the pinching portion of the outer peripheral wall flexes into the cut-out space.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the sheath is slidable along the catheter by the user, without the user contacting the catheter directly.

11. A method for using a compact urinary catheter assembly to void a bladder of a human or animal subject, the method comprising:

grasping a sheath surrounding a portion of a catheter at or near a distal end of the catheter, wherein a majority of the catheter is housed in an enclosure comprising a top member and a bottom member, and wherein the distal end of the catheter is located outside an outer hole in the enclosure;

advancing the catheter out of the enclosure by pulling on the catheter via the grasped sheath;

advancing the distal end of the catheter into a urethra of the subject;

sliding the sheath proximally along the catheter;

advancing the distal end of the catheter farther into a urethra of the subject, until the distal end reaches the bladder;

disengaging a plug from a proximal end of the catheter to unblock liquid flow therethrough, wherein the proximal end of the catheter is located outside an inner hole in the enclosure; and

voiding the bladder through the catheter while a length of the catheter remains within the enclosure, so that urine passes from the bladder of the subject into the distal end of the catheter and out of the proximal end of the catheter.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, after voiding the bladder:

removing the catheter from the urethra;

winding the catheter at least partially into the enclosure by twisting at least one of the top member or the bottom member relative to one another; and

disposing of the catheter, the sheath and the enclosure.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising reengaging the plug with the proximal end of the catheter before removing the catheter from the urethra.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising applying pressure to a pinching portion of the enclosure with a finger, to move the pinching portion inward and thereby restrict movement of the catheter into or out of the outer hole of the enclosure.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising releasing the pressure to cause the pinching portion of the enclosure to move outwardly, thereby allowing the catheter to freely move into or out of the outer hole of the enclosure.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the plug comprises a portion of the enclosure.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the proximal end of the catheter comprises a funnel, and wherein the plug seals the proximal end of the catheter by engaging with the funnel.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the method is performed without touching the catheter itself.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein voiding the bladder comprises allowing the urine to pass through the proximal end of the catheter into a catheter bag attached to the proximal end.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the catheter bag is provided in a rolled-up configuration before the voiding step.

21. The method as in claim 11, wherein a lubricant is preloaded onto the catheter, under the sheath, before use, and wherein sliding the sheath proximally spreads the lubricant along the catheter.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprising repeating the steps of sliding the sheath proximally along the catheter and advancing the distal end of the catheter farther into the urethra, until the distal end of the catheter is located in the bladder.