Bladder Catheter

Abstract

A bladder catheter for males including an elongated flexible core element having first and second end portions and an outer surface provided with one or more grooves extending along said element, means at the first end portion of said element for being received and retained within the bladder of a subject to be treated, and a flexible tubular member with an opening therethrough for being received about said core element, whereby after said element with its member about it are inserted into the urethra of the subject with the first end of the element received and retained within the bladder, the member is partially withdrawn from about the element to an extent allowing the urethra to be flushed by the draining urine while still remaining in position over the second end portion of the element to receive the urine into the member for external disposal.

Description

The invention relates to a bladder catheter, and more particularly to a bladder catheter for males for minimizing infection transmitted through the urethra.

Heretofore, bladder catheters, such as the Foley catheter, have been utilized for draining the bladder. Such catheters drain fluid from the bladder out of contact with the urethra. Since normal drainage from the bladder under such circumstances does not flush the urethra, infection of the urethra and bladder have resulted by the growth and spread of bacteria along the urethral cavity toward the bladder.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bladder catheter for males which will minimize infection during its use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bladder catheter for males which may easily be inserted for use and made operative with a minimum of possible injury to the patient.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bladder catheter for males which is reliable in operation and inexpensive to produce.

The above objects, as well as many other objects of the invention are achieved by providing bladder catheter for males including an elongated core element having first and second end portions and an outer surface provided with one or more grooves extending along the element. Means at the first end portion of the element is provided for being received and retained within the bladder of the subject to be treated, and a flexible tubular member with an opening therethrough is received about the core element when it is inserted into the urethra and then partially withdrawn from about the element to an extent allowing the urethra to be flushed by the draining urine while still remaining in position for the second end portion of the element for receiving urine into the member for external disposal. The surface of the core may be provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves and a spiral groove for assuring a passageway for urine from the bladder while still allowing contact of the urine with the surrounding urethra in its passage therealong, until the urine is received into the member for being externally disposed.

The first end of the element may be provided with a bulb which may be expanded when received into the bladder for retaining the end of the element in position within the bladder and preventing it from being inadvertently withdrawn or dislodged. The bulb may be of an inflatable type with the end of the core element provided with a valve for transmission and retention of a measured amount of air through a central opening extending along the element to the bulb. Alternatively the bulb may be a resilient preformed bulb which is compressible for being passed through the urethra and automatically expands to its preformed enlarged configuration upon entering into the bladder, for the similar purpose of retaining the end of the element in position during use of the catheter.

The end of the member receiving drainage fluids may also be provided with an enlarged collar for contacting the urethra and minimizing seepage of fluid or urine between the urethra and the outer surface of the member.

In a modified form the bladder catheter may also be made with the core element having two sections, with the section including the bulb at its end provided with a larger cross-sectional circumference than the other section. The member has an opening therethrough sized for being received over the second or smaller section of the core element with its end abutting the first section of larger circumference, while providing an outside circumference which is substantially equal to the outside circumference dimension of the first section.

Since the outer member is partially withdrawn after the catheter is inserted in position with its first end received and retained within the bladder, urine in passing from the bladder along the urethra flushes the urethra and thereby removes sources of infection in a manner similar to that which occurs in the absence of the catheter. Such flushing action, of course, does not take place in the type of catheter which drains fluid from the bladder out of contact with the urethra.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become more apparent when the following detailed description of the invention is read in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plane view of a bladder catheter for males embodying the invention,

FIG. 2 is a plane view of the first end portion of the catheter shown in FIG. 1 after insertion of same into the urethra with its distal end retained within the bladder,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the member clamped with the element in its withdrawn position,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 illustrating the connection of the member for externally disposing of drained urine,

FIG. 6 is a plane view with portions broken away illustrating a bladder catheter for males which is of a modified form from the catheter shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

Like numerals designate like parts of the several views.

Refer now to FIGS. 1 through 5 inclusive, which illustrate a bladder catheter 10 for males embodying the invention. The catheter 10 comprises a core element 12 of elongated form made of a resilient flexible material such as rubber or plastic and sized for being received through the urethra. One end portion 14 of the element 12 is provided with means such as an inflatable bulb 16 for being received and retained within the bladder, while the other end portion 18 is provided with a valve 20. The element 12 has a central opening 24 extending between the valve 20 and the cavity 22 of the bulb 16 for allowing the controlled inflation and deflation of the bulb 16 through the valve 20.

The core element 12 has an outer surface 26 which may have a substantially circular cross section and is provided with a plurality of narrow deep linear longitudinal grooves 28 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) which extend between the first and second end portions 16 and 18 of the core element 12. It is particularly noted that the grooves 28' which are continuations of the grooves 28 also extend over the outside surface of the bulb 16. A spiral groove 30 is also provided in the surface 26 of the core 12 extending between the first and second ends 16 and 18 and intersecting the longitudinal grooves 28. The spiral grooves are also narrow and deep, in the manner of the longitudinally extending grooves 28. This prevents their blockage by being contacted within the grooves by the contracting urethra, when positioned in the urethral passage.

A hollow elongated tubular member 32 which is flexible and may be made of rubber or plastic material has an opening therethrough 34 sized to receive the core element 12 therein. The member 32 is substantially the same length as the core element 12, with its end 36 extending proximate to the bulb 16 at the first end portion 14 of the element 12 and its other end portion 38 extending proximate the valve 20 at the end portion 18 of the element 12. The member 32 may be made of a clear plastic if desirable, allowing the core element to be seen therethrough when assembled as shown in FIG. 1, although such clear plastic is not required for operation of the invention. The end 36 of the member 32 is provided with an enlarged or thickened collar 38 for minimizing leakage between it and the urethra when the catheter is in operation, which will be explained in more detail below in connection with FIG. 3.

In operation, the catheter 10 in its assembled form as shown in FIG. 1 and with its bulb 16 deflated, is inserted into the urethral cavity with the bulb 16 received first. After the bulb 16 has entered into the bladder of the patient to be treated, a measured amount of air is dispensed through the valve 20 and the passage 24 to raise the pressure in the cavity 22 extending and inflating the bulb 16. The position of the catheter in the urethra 40 of the male organ 42, with the bulb 16 extending into the bladder 44 in inflated condition is illustrated in FIG. 2. The urethra 40, male organ 42 and bladder 44 are illustrated in dashed lines. FIG. 2 also illustrates the member 32 in the process of being withdrawn from about the core element 12 with its end 36 slightly displaced from the bulb 16 of the element 14.

FIG. 3 illustrates the member withdrawn to its final position and secured by a clamp 46 with the end portion 18 of the element 12. FIG. 5 illustrates the connection of the end 38 of the member 32 with an extending tube 48 for delivering fluids or urine to a container 50. With the catheter 10 applied and connected as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, fluid or urine is drained from the bladder 44, with the grooves 28' on the bulb 16 serving to provide a passageway between the bulb and the bladder walls, assuring that the bulb will not block and prevent drainage of fluid. The urine then passes along the outside of the core element 12 and within the grooves 28 and 30 along and in contact with the urethra. The narrow and deep configuration of the grooves 28, 30 assures that the urethra which is a conforming member will not extend into and block the passages provided by the grooves. The outward or drainage movement of fluids acts to flush the urethra and thereby prevent the growth and spread of infection or bacteria along the urethral passage towards the bladder. When the fluid reaches a region close to the end of the urethral cavity and specifically to where the end 36 of the member 32 has been withdrawn, as can be seen in FIG. 3, the fluid is caused to be received into the cavity or opening 34 of the member 32 passing therealong within the grooves 28 and 30. The enlarged collar 38 of the member 32 by exerting an increased pressure against the urethra at its location minimizes seepage of urine past it and about the outside of the member 32. The urine which is now received into the opening 34 in the member 32 passes about the valve 20 and continues along toward the other end 38 of the member 32 where it may be, as illustrated in FIG. 5, connected to an extending tube 48 which connects with a container 50 for the drained fluid.

As already noted, the bulb 16 in its inflated condition prevents the withdrawal of the core element 12 after its application, while the clamp 46 positions the member 32 in its partially withdrawn position with respect to the core element 12 and with the end 36 proximate the head 52 of the male organ 42.

When the catheter 10 is to be removed, the clamp 46 is released, allowing the member 32 to be completely withdrawn. The valve 20 which is now exposed is opened to reduce the pressure in the bulb 16 causing it to deflate and allowing the bulb and core elements to be withdrawn from the bladder and urethra, completing the operation.

Refer to FIGS. 6 and 7, which illustrate a catheter 54 embodying the invention comprising a modification of the catheter 10. The structure and operation of the catheter 54 is essentially identical to that of the catheter 10 except for such differences which will now be specifically noted.

The core element 12' of the catheter 54 has provided at its end 55, a hollow enlarged preformed bulb 56 which has a cavity 58 which communicates externally by the central opening 60. The opening 60 extends from the bulb cavity 58 to the end 62 of the element 12' where it is externally vented. The element 12' has first and second sections 64 and 66, the first section being provided with a larger cross-sectional circumference than that of the second section. The first and second sections are approximately equal in length and are joined at a location 68 forming a shoulder 70 therebetween (see FIG. 7). A tubular member 32' is provided with an opening 71 therethrough sized for the member 32' to be received over and about the second section 66 of the element 12', but too small to be received over the first section 64. When received over the second section 66 of the core element 12' as shown particularly in FIG. 7, the end 72 of the member 32' is in abutment with the shoulder 70 formed at the location 68 joining the first and second sections 64 and 66 of the element 12', and the outside circumference of the member 32' is substantially equal to that of the first section 64 of the core element 12'.

The first section 64 is provided with the longitudinal and spiral grooves 28a and 30a as in the catheter 10, while the second section 66 of reduced cross section is also provided with similar grooves 28b and 30 b. The bulb 56 is also provided with grooves 28a.

In use, the catheter 54 is inserted by collapsing the bulb 56 and inserting it first into the urethra. The catheter 54 is extended along the urethral passage until the bulb 56 is received into the bladder, at which time it automatically extends to its preformed enlarged configuration serving to retain the end of the core element 12' in position by offering a minimum resistance to its withdrawal. The member 32' which now only extends over the second section 66 is withdrawn to a position similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3 for the device 10. However, in this case since it only extends over the second section 66 of the core element 12', it will only be necessary to withdraw the member 32' to a smaller extent to position its end 72 proximate to the head 52 of the male organ 42. The member 32' may now be clamped with the end 62 of the core element 12' to retain it in this position as described above, and may also be connected with further extending tube means for disposing of the drained fluids. As is the practice for securing catheters against dislodgement, the member 32' which extends from the male organ may also be taped to the male organ.

While only a few embodiments of the invention disclosed herein have been outlined in detail, there will be obvious to those skilled in the art, many modifications and variations accomplishing the foregoing objects and realizing many or all of the advantages, but which yet do not depart essentially from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A bladder catheter for males including an elongated flexible core element having first and second end portions and an outer surface provided with one or more grooves extending along said core element, means at the first end portion of said core element for being received and retained within the bladder of a subject to be treated, and a flexible tubular member with an opening therethrough being slidably received about said core element, whereby after said element with its tubular member about it are inserted into the urethra of the subject with the first end portion of the core element received and retained within the bladder, the tubular member is partially withdrawn from about the core element to an extent allowing the urethra to be flushed by the draining urine while still remaining in position over the second end portion of the core element to receive the urine into the tubular member for external disposal.

2. The catheter of claim 1 in which the outer surface of said core element is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves.

3. The catheter of claim 1 in which the outer surface of said core element is provided with a spiral groove.

4. The catheter of claim 1 in which the retaining means at the first end portion of said core element is a resilient inflatable bulb, said core element having a valve at the second end portion and a central opening extending between said bulb and valve, whereby said bulb may be controllably inflated and deflated.

5. The catheter of claim 1 in which the retaining means at the first end portion of said core element is a preformed resilient collapsible bulb whereby said bulb is deformable to reduced size for insertion through the urethra and upon entering the bladder resumes its preformed configuration for retaining same therein and deforms to reduced size for removal.

6. The catheter of claim 5 in which said bulb is hollow having a cavity therein, and said core element has a central opening communicating with the cavity of said bulb and venting same externally.

7. The catheter of claim 1 in which an end of said tubular member has an enlarged outer collar for contact with the urethra for minimizing seepage of urine thereby.

8. The catheter of claim 1 in which said core element is substantially circular in cross section and comprising a first section including the first portion of said core element and a second section including the second end portion joined at a point intermediate said end portions, said first section having a cross section greater than that of said second section, said tubular member being received about the second section of said core element.

9. The catheter of claim 8 in which the outer diameter of said tubular member is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the first section of said core element, and said tubular member is received about the second section of said core element with an end of said tubular member in abutting relationship to said first section of said core element.

10. The catheter of claim 1 including clamp means for securing said tubular member with the second end portion of said core element for retaining said tubular member in its partially withdrawn position.