Partial-length, indwelling prostatic catheter using coiled inflation tube as an anchor and methods of draining urine and flushing clots
First Claim
1. An indwelling catheter operative in a use position to drain urine from a bladder to a location adjacent to a urinary sphincter muscle in a urinary tract which also includes a urinary canal extending from the sphincter muscle to an exterior opening, comprising:
- a main body having a distal end, a proximal end and a length sufficient to position the indwelling catheter in the use position wherein the distal end is within the bladder and the proximal end is adjacent to and distal of the sphincter muscle within the urinary tract, the main body defining an urine drainage interior passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end;
a balloon attached to the distal end of the main body, the balloon expandable in size within the bladder to maintain the distal end in the bladder and restrain the main body against proximal movement within the urinary tract from a use position, the use position locating the distal end of the main body in the bladder and the proximal end of the main body adjacent to and distal of the sphincter muscle;
an inflation tube having a distal end, a proximal end and a length extending between the distal and proximal ends, the distal end connected to the main body, the length sufficient to extend from the main body through the urinary canal to the exterior opening when the main body is in the use position, the inflation tube and the main body defining an inflation passageway extending from the proximal end of the inflation tube to the balloon through which to deliver inflation fluid for expanding the balloon; and
a coiled section of the inflation tube formed at a position along the inflation tube to locate the coiled section within the urinary canal adjacent to and proximal of the sphincter muscle when the main body is located in the use position, the coiled section interacting with a constriction of the urinary tract by the sphincter muscle to restrain the main body against distal movement within the urinary tract from the use position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An indwelling catheter is positioned in a urinary tract to drain urine from the bladder to a position distally adjacent to a sphincter muscle. A balloon of the catheter is inflated through an inflation tube extending through the urinary tract. A coiled section of the inflation tube contacts the constriction caused by the sphincter muscle. The balloon and the coiled section resist movement of the indwelling catheter while still permitting natural urination. The indwelling catheter is inserted by an insertion tool which is separably connected to the catheter. Once the indwelling catheter is positioned, the tool is disconnected and withdrawn from the urinary tract. Risks of blood clots obstructing the flow of urine through the indwelling catheter immediately following a surgical procedure on the prostate gland are avoided by flushing fluid through the insertion tool and the catheter to clear an internal urine flow passageway in the catheter.
88 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An indwelling catheter operative in a use position to drain urine from a bladder to a location adjacent to a urinary sphincter muscle in a urinary tract which also includes a urinary canal extending from the sphincter muscle to an exterior opening, comprising:
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a main body having a distal end, a proximal end and a length sufficient to position the indwelling catheter in the use position wherein the distal end is within the bladder and the proximal end is adjacent to and distal of the sphincter muscle within the urinary tract, the main body defining an urine drainage interior passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end; a balloon attached to the distal end of the main body, the balloon expandable in size within the bladder to maintain the distal end in the bladder and restrain the main body against proximal movement within the urinary tract from a use position, the use position locating the distal end of the main body in the bladder and the proximal end of the main body adjacent to and distal of the sphincter muscle; an inflation tube having a distal end, a proximal end and a length extending between the distal and proximal ends, the distal end connected to the main body, the length sufficient to extend from the main body through the urinary canal to the exterior opening when the main body is in the use position, the inflation tube and the main body defining an inflation passageway extending from the proximal end of the inflation tube to the balloon through which to deliver inflation fluid for expanding the balloon; and a coiled section of the inflation tube formed at a position along the inflation tube to locate the coiled section within the urinary canal adjacent to and proximal of the sphincter muscle when the main body is located in the use position, the coiled section interacting with a constriction of the urinary tract by the sphincter muscle to restrain the main body against distal movement within the urinary tract from the use position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An assembly of an indwelling catheter and an insertion tool, the indwelling catheter operative in a use position to drain urine from a bladder to a location adjacent to a urinary sphincter muscle in a urinary tract which also includes a urinary canal extending from the sphincter muscle to an exterior opening, the insertion tool used to insert the indwelling catheter to the use position within the urinary tract when connected to the indwelling catheter, the assembly comprising:
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a main body of the indwelling catheter, the catheter main body having a distal end, a proximal end and a length sufficient to position the indwelling catheter in the use position wherein the distal end is within the bladder and the proximal end is adjacent to and distal of the sphincter muscle within the urinary tract, the catheter main body defining an urine drainage interior passageway extending from the distal end to the proximal end; a balloon attached to the distal end of the catheter main body, the balloon expandable in size within the bladder; an inflation tube having a distal end, a proximal end and a length extending between the distal and proximal ends, the distal end connected to the catheter main body, the length sufficient to extend from the catheter main body through the urinary canal to the exterior opening when the indwelling catheter is located in the use position, the inflation tube and the catheter main body defining an inflation passageway extending from the proximal end of the inflation tube to the balloon through which to deliver inflation fluid for expanding the balloon; a coiled section of the inflation tube formed at a position along the inflation tube to locate the coiled section within the urinary canal adjacent to and proximal of the sphincter muscle when the indwelling catheter is located in the use position, the coiled section interacting with a constriction of the urinary tract by the sphincter muscle to restrain the catheter main body against distal movement within the urinary tract from the use position; a main body of the insertion tool formed as a flexible tubular structure, the flexible tubular structure having first and second opposite ends and a length sufficient to position the first end within the urinary tract distal of the sphincter muscle while the second end is at the exterior of the urinary canal; and a separable connection between the catheter main body and the flexible tubular structure, the separable connection maintaining the flexible tubular structure connected to the indwelling catheter for movement as a unit when positioning the indwelling catheter in the use position, the separable connection permitting selective separation of the flexible tubular structure from the catheter main body in response to proximal movement of the flexible tubular structure when the expanded balloon restrains the catheter main body against proximal movement from the use position; and
wherein;the inflation tube extends from the catheter main body along an exterior of the flexible tubular structure; the coiled section of the inflation tube winds around the flexible tubular structure when the flexible tubular structure is connected to the indwelling catheter; the flexible tubular structure defines an interior channel extending between the first and second opposite ends of the flexible tubular structure; and the interior channel of the flexible tubular structure is in fluid communication with the interior passageway of the main body when the flexible tubular structure is connected to the indwelling catheter at the separable connection. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification