Urinary Catheter Support System for Reducing Urethral Tearing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional indwelling urinary catheters often cause urethral tearing in males due to drag from urine collection bags, leading to potential surgical complications and permanent bladder dysfunction, as they are not adequately secured during patient movement.
Innovation Solution
A urinary catheter support system that includes a flexible main body to accommodate the penis, a catheter support at the front end, and a strap system to secure the catheter in place, minimizing torsion and preventing abrasive movement, using techniques like flanges or detents to restrict sliding movement of the bushing along the catheter support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the catheter is left untethered, then patient mobility is maintained, but the catheter is subjected to drag from the urine collection bag causing urethral tearing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a support device as an intermediary between the catheter and the patient's body. This support device includes a catheter support structure that receives and secures the catheter, and a main body that can be attached to the patient's penis. The intermediary support device bears the drag force from the urine collection bag, preventing direct transmission of harmful forces to the urethra while allowing patient mobility.
2Force
If the catheter is tethered laterally to the leg using bands or patches, then some weight of the urine collection bag is supported, but an abrasive sawing effect is created on the suspended penis causing tissue erosion
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of tethering the catheter laterally to the leg as in conventional solutions, this patent inverts the attachment approach by positioning the main body of the support device on the penis itself and extending the catheter support forward. This reconfiguration changes the direction and distribution of forces, eliminating the sawing effect while maintaining weight support capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The main body of the support device is constructed as a flexible sheath that can be fitted over the penis. This flexible shell structure provides secure attachment while accommodating natural movements and reducing friction, preventing the abrasive effects associated with rigid lateral tethering methods.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid support structure is used to secure the catheter, then catheter stability is improved, but patient comfort and mobility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The support device utilizes parameter changes in material properties, transitioning from rigid to flexible components. The main body is made of flexible material that can be fitted over the penis, while the catheter support structure provides necessary rigidity to stabilize the catheter. This differential use of rigidity and flexibility achieves both catheter stability and patient comfort.
Data Source
AI summary
A urinary catheter support configured to support an indwelling urinary catheter such that the urinary catheter is secured relative to the penis of a male patient includes a flexible main body having an interior size and configured to receive and accommodate the penis of the male patient. A catheter support is located at a front end of the main body and is configured to support a catheter adjacent a longitudinal axis of the main body. A slot extends along the longitudinal axis through the main body and the catheter support. A strap includes first and second end segments and a middle segment between the first and second end segments. The first and second end segments respectively extend through first and second openings in the main body, and the middle segment extends through an interior of the main body.