External Catheter Kits With Preassembled Drainage and Guided Use

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing use of non-indwelling catheters, such as external catheters, has led to challenges in their application and management, particularly in reducing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) and minimizing misconnections and contamination.

Innovation Solution

The development of external-catheter kits that include standardized systems with preassembled urine-drainage systems, step-by-step instructions, and sterilizable packaging to ensure proper application and management, reducing procedural variation and contamination risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If external catheters are used as non-indwelling alternatives, then catheter-associated urinary tract infection risk is reduced, but application and management problems increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatheter-associated urinary tract infection riskVSAvoidapplication and management difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by providing pre-assembled urine drainage systems with pre-attached tubing and collection receptacles in the external catheter kit. This pre-preparation eliminates the need for complex assembly during application, reducing procedural errors and making the device easier to apply and manage while maintaining infection reduction benefits

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the external catheter system into distinct modular components including the catheter itself, urine drainage tubing, collection receptacle, and cleansing supplies, each packaged separately in sterile containers. This modular approach allows for easier handling, application, and management of each component while reducing contamination risk

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If standardized systems with preassembled components are implemented, then misconnections and contamination are minimized, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemisconnection and contamination reductionVSAvoidsystem assembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies merging by combining multiple components (catheter, tubing, collection receptacle, connectors) into pre-assembled integrated units within the kit. This integration ensures proper connections are already established, eliminating misconnection risks while the entire assembly is packaged together to prevent contamination, thus improving reliability without requiring complex assembly procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3796879B1External-catheter kits with step-by-step instructions
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 CR BARD INC
  • EP3796879B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3796879B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1D
  • EP3796879B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

External catheters, external catheter-related components, external-catheter kits with step-by-step instructions, and methods thereof providing a standardized system for application and management of such catheters. In one embodiment, an external-catheter kit can include one or more external catheters, a cleansing kit, and step-by-step instructions for using the external-catheter kit. The cleansing kit can include one or more individually wrapped towelettes for at least anatomical cleansing before application of any external catheter of the one or more external catheters. The step-by-step instructions for using the external-catheter kit can include step-by-step instructions for the anatomical cleansing, external-catheter application, and external-catheter management subsequent to the external-catheter application. The one or more external catheters can be selected from male external catheters and female external catheters.