Dual-purpose urinary catheter drain line and collection bag

Inventors

Palmer, Timothy A.

Assignees

Convatec Inc

Abstract

A sterile dual-purpose closed intermittent urinary catheter system that may be used as either a drain line or a collection bag. A catheter resides within an inner cavity of an extensible sheath and may be extracted from a forward end through an outlet hub for insertion into the urethra. A valve at a rearward end of the sheath may be opened to permit the sheath to function as a drain line, or closed to permit the sheath to function as a collection bag. The sheath has an extended length substantially longer than the catheter length, and may be compressed in an accordion fashion or folded to a compact packaged shape. The urine may be collected in the sheath with the valve closed, or drained straight into a toilet with the valve open. The system may have a source of lubrication to wet the catheter.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a dual-purpose urinary catheter system that includes a flexible outer tubular sheath having an extended length L, an inner cavity, a forward end and a rearward end. The outer sheath is formed of a thin flexible polymer tube constricted longitudinally with folds or pleats to a partially compressed length, and is configured to extend longitudinally to the extended length L by straightening out the folds or pleats. A urinary catheter is disposed within the inner cavity of the outer sheath, with a catheter front end and a length that is less than the partially compressed length of the outer sheath.

An outlet hub is provided at the forward end of the outer sheath, defining a throughbore sized to permit extraction of the catheter front end and having a closure to seal the inner cavity at the forward end. A valve at the rearward end enables conversion from a closed position to seal the inner cavity of the outer sheath at its rearward end and an open position to permit fluid flow from the inner cavity at its rearward end. In the closed position, the catheter system functions as a collection bag, and in the open position, it functions as a drain line.

The extended length L of the outer sheath is sufficiently long so as to extend from the front end held by a user while seated adjacent and not on a toilet, to the rearward end suspended over the toilet, where the weight of the valve helps to keep the rearward end over the toilet. The sheath may also be described with a smaller lateral width when flat, and with quantified relationships such as an extended length range and/or the inner cavity volume range, while packaging and deployment are described using folding and seals to maintain a sterile dual-purpose configuration.

Claims Coverage

The document contains two independent claims that cover a dual-purpose urinary catheter system with a flexible extensible outer sheath, a forward outlet hub for catheter extraction, and a rearward valve that switches between a collection-bag function and a drain-line function. Across the independent claims, the inventive concept is implemented through the same core structural elements, with differences focused on how the outlet hub and valve are structurally integrated at the forward and rearward ends, respectively.

Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on an extensible, fold/pleat-based outer sheath carrying a urinary catheter, a forward outlet hub with a throughbore and forward closure to allow extraction while sealing, and a rearward valve that converts between closed collection-bag operation and open drain-line operation. Both claims further require that the extended sheath length positions the rearward end over a toilet while a user remains seated adjacent and not on the toilet, with the valve weight helping to keep the rearward end over the toilet.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications