Intermittently wholly indwelling, user-actuated, continually-retained, valved urinary catheter

Abstract

Problems associated with prostate enlargement can be negated by using the present valved catheter. Such can be inserted and removed by the user. The catheter is retained in place by a flexible, foldable tee bar attached to the valve plug, which in turn is attached to a stretchy Nylon line. To actuate the valve, the plug can be pulled out of the upper catheter simply by pulling on the distal end of the catheter, allowing urine to drain. When the user has an erection, the penis engulfs the entire valved catheter. That helps to assure that reproductive functions will not be affected.

Description

[0001]This is a division [continuation] of utility patent application No. 12 / 455,485, filed Jun. 3, 2009. Such prior application was named: “WHOLLY INDWELLING, VALVE-ACTUATED, URINARY CATHETER—to counter benign prostate enlargement without surgery.” The present application is the result of on-going product development work that began with the idea behind the above referenced patent application. It is desired that the present application include the collective, unique art that will be embodied in the first commercial introduction of the product. Therefore, this application will describe the total invention as presently developed. Any unique feature or features of the present application—which a prudent observer would consider could easily be anticipated from the earlier patent application, should allow the present patent application to have the benefit of the earlier filing date for each such feature or features.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Prostate enlargement, with the resultin...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]An enlarged prostate reduces the cross-section of the upper urethra. Any catheter that can pass through the prostate will allow a rate of urine flow that is proportional to the internal cross-section of the catheter, or to the cross-section of the opening(s) between that catheter and the bladder. The larger sizes will drain urine more quickly. But those also tend to be more difficult to insert, and more prone to bruise or abrade the urethra, or to irritate the meatus at the tip of the penis.

[0008]The present invention will optimize the urine flow rate through the catheter tubing, while having a small enough overall diameter, and / or being flexible enough in consistency, so as not to physically injure the curved lower urethra; the curved prostate urethra portion; nor the bladder neck area.

[0010]At the time of insertion, the flexible tee bar is folded upward at the top of the catheter, on axis with the catheter. It stays in that straight-up position during the insertion process, because it is tied with a second, temporary, monofilament line that is threaded through the catheter I. D. Once the flexible tee bar has been pushed into the bladder, as evidenced by the discharge of urine from the distal end of the catheter, the inserter simply pulls steadily on the latter monofilament line, causing the knot to come untied. Then, with no urethra walls to stabilize it, the flexible tee bar will spring back to its normal straight shape, preventing the valved catheter from falling out.

[0012]The short, exposed portion of the lower catheter will be engulfed into the urethra when the user has an erection. That will allow having a normal sex life. Very importantly: The sperm and the seminal fluid will pass easily over the outside of the smooth catheter tubing. Since there has been no surgical cutting away of the upper prostate portions, there should be no retrograde ejaculations into the bladder. Once the penis returns to its flaccid state, the lower end of the catheter will again be exposed to view. That process will be facilitated by the normal, expulsive muscular contractions of the urethra.

[0013]Unlike a Foley catheter, that can have the inflated bulb become incrusted with particulate matter from the urine, the present invention has very little surface area that is in continuous contact with the urine. Even so, it would be advisable to remove the present valved catheter every four to six weeks. To do that, the user simply pulls downward slightly more strongly than in actuating the plug valve. That puts increased bending stress in the flexible tee bar tubing, causing such to double up—similar to the shape it had during insertion. Because the removal direction is downward, the tubing of the folded up tee bar will be restrained, laterally, by the walls of the urethra until the entire valved catheter assembly has been removed. The whole process should take no more than a minute. While the catheter is out, normal urination can be experimented with.

[0014]When the flexible tee bar tubing is in the folded up and tied position, two small, zee-shaped stainless steel tee-bar extension wires, which have been inserted therein from each side, will make the edge-to-edge, tied-together leading dimensions for the device only ⅛″× 1 / 16″ And the ⅛″ diameter of the flexible tee bar tubing, when folded up, will have a cross-section of 5 / 16″×⅛″—much smaller than the typical Foley catheter. Device component sizes that small will facilitate easy passage through the lower abdominal sphincter, the enlarged prostate, and the bladder outlet sphincter or neck. An antiseptic lubricating gel, concentrated in the area of the wires and the plug valve, will aid the insertion, as will a gentle, side-to-side twisting of catheter. Additionally and very importantly, the entire flexible catheter tubing will be ergonomically pre-curved to match the serpentine shape of a typical man's urethra. That pre-curve will greatly reduce the long-term bending stresses, over the length of the urethra, and make using the valved catheter more comfortable. Note: The latter consideration of user comfort has been lacking in much of the prior art of so many other inventors.

Problems solved by technology

But those also tend to be more difficult to insert, and more prone to bruise or abrade the urethra, or to irritate the meatus at the tip of the penis.

It is also a part of the urethra most easily bruised by a large and / or stiff catheter—such as while sitting, or in changing position.

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