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Publication Number
US-11420016-B2
Publication Date
2022-08-23
Expiration Date
Abstract
A package or container for a catheter having a catheter tube with a proximal end provided with a catheter outlet and a distal opening at a distal end thereof. A gel receptacle is provided with a cavity for holding an amount of a lubricating agent, and the catheter tube extends therethrough. The gel receptacle is configured such that as the catheter is withdrawn from a stored position therein, a leading tip of the catheter is immersed in the lubricating agent, thus automatically coating the leading tip. The gel receptacle may be held within a rigid body or may be a standalone item packaged in a sterile bag solely with the catheter. A side wall of the gel receptacle is deformable so that as the catheter is withdrawn proximally the side wall is collapsed inward to displace the lubricating agent gel and coat an exterior surface of the catheter tube.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an intermittent urinary catheter package that includes an intermittent urinary catheter and a gel-filled gel receptacle, sealed within an outer container. The urinary catheter has a flexible catheter tube with a distal tip having at least one discharge opening proximate the distal tip and a catheter outlet at a proximal end of the catheter tube. The gel-filled receptacle defines a cavity and has a distal opening and a proximal opening sized relative to the catheter tube diameter, with gel filling the cavity around the catheter tube.
The gel receptacle is configured so that the catheter tube extends distally through the gel receptacle such that the catheter distal tip projects beyond the distal opening. The receptacle further includes an internal spring finger or an internal projection that extends into a straight line path for the catheter tube between the distal and proximal openings. Each internal feature biases the catheter tube laterally away from the straight line path, and withdrawal of the catheter tube proximally enables the catheter distal tip to retract proximally past the distal opening and then be displaced laterally into gel within the cavity.
The disclosed gel receptacle architectures enable improved coating of the catheter leading tip by controlling lateral displacement into gel and gel distribution within the cavity. The package can house the gel receptacle within a rigid main body or provide a standalone sterile-bag/package arrangement, and multiple receptacle geometries are described, including offset proximal and distal openings causing catheter deflection and lateral displacement out of a gel tunnel, and internal structures that bias the tip into the gel.
Claims Coverage
The document contains two independent claims that define an intermittent urinary catheter package with a gel-filled gel receptacle and an internal laterally-biasing structure that displaces the catheter distal tip into gel upon proximal withdrawal. Across the independent claims, the inventive concepts are centered on the gel receptacle openings sized relative to the catheter tube diameter and the functional internal feature that biases the catheter laterally during withdrawal.
Internal spring finger for lateral bias and distal tip displacement into gel
A gel-filled gel receptacle having distal and proximal openings with inner diameters corresponding to and larger than the catheter tube diameter, the catheter tube extending through the gel receptacle such that the distal tip projects beyond the distal opening and gel fills the cavity, wherein the gel receptacle includes an internal spring finger extending into a straight line path to bias the catheter tube laterally away from the straight line path, and withdrawing the catheter proximally enables the internal spring finger to displace the catheter distal tip laterally into gel within the cavity once the distal tip has retracted proximally past the distal opening.
Internal projection for lateral bias and distal tip displacement into gel
A gel-filled gel receptacle having distal and proximal openings with inner diameters corresponding to and larger than the catheter tube diameter, the catheter tube extending through the gel receptacle such that the distal tip projects beyond the distal opening and gel fills the cavity, wherein the gel receptacle includes an internal projection extending into a straight line path to bias the catheter tube laterally away from the straight line path, and withdrawing the catheter proximally enables the internal projection to displace the catheter distal tip laterally into gel within the cavity once the distal tip has retracted proximally past the distal opening.
Both independent claims cover the same package-level concept: an intermittent urinary catheter with a gel-filled receptacle sealed in an outer container, where a laterally-biasing internal feature (spring finger or projection) is configured to displace the catheter distal tip into gel after the distal tip retracts past the distal opening during proximal withdrawal.
Stated Advantages
Improved tip coverage by enabling the catheter distal tip to be immersed or displaced into lubricating gel during proximal withdrawal.
Documented Applications
An intermittent urinary catheter package for a patient requiring an intermittent urinary catheter, in which the catheter leading tip is lubricated by gel within the package during proximal withdrawal.
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