Hydro-block Air Vent Catheter System for Urine Drainage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current catheter technologies, both indwelling and external, face challenges such as urinary tract infections, skin irritation, and urethral damage due to improper fit and prolonged use, with indwelling catheters causing friction and trauma, and external catheters failing to effectively manage urine drainage and ventilation, leading to complications like maceration and UTIs.
Innovation Solution
A combination catheter system incorporating a proprietary Hydro-block air vent that allows air to flow into the external catheter while blocking urine exit, enabling complete urine drainage and eliminating the need for a balloon to hold the indwelling catheter in place, thus reducing friction and trauma, and integrating a bladder relief sensor-activated pump for efficient urine management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an indwelling catheter is used to manage urinary retention, then complete urine drainage is achieved, but friction and trauma to the urethra occur due to the need for snug fit
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an intermediary connection system between the external catheter and indwelling catheter that eliminates the need for the indwelling catheter to fit snugly in the urethra. The external catheter component acts as a mediator that collects urine at the urethral opening, allowing the indwelling catheter to be smaller and less invasive while still achieving complete drainage through the combined system.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If an external catheter is used to avoid urethral trauma, then urethral friction is reduced, but urine drainage and ventilation are ineffective leading to maceration and UTIs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the external catheter and indwelling catheter into a single combination system where the external component collects urine at the urethral opening and the indwelling component ensures complete drainage. The Hydro-block air vent is integrated into the external catheter to provide ventilation while preventing urine leakage, combining the benefits of both external and indwelling designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The Hydro-block air vent incorporates porous or permeable material that allows air molecules to pass through for ventilation while blocking larger urine molecules. This enables the external catheter to ventilate the genital area (preventing maceration) while maintaining fluid barrier functionality (preventing urine contact and UTIs).
3Stability of the object's composition
If a balloon is used to hold the indwelling catheter in place, then secure placement is achieved, but friction and trauma to the urethra increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the balloon retention mechanism from the indwelling catheter component and replaces it with an external retention system. The external catheter is secured to the patient's body using adhesive or elastic materials, while the indwelling catheter is simply inserted and connected to the external component without requiring a balloon. This eliminates the inflation/deflation process and associated urethral trauma.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the external catheter allows air flow for ventilation, then maceration is prevented, but urine may leak through the same pathway
Solution Approach 1:
The Hydro-block air vent utilizes porous or permeable material with specific pore size that allows small air molecules to pass through freely while blocking larger urine molecules. This selective permeability enables simultaneous ventilation (air flow) and fluid barrier functionality (urine blocking), preventing both maceration and urine leakage through the same component.
Solution Approach 2:
The external catheter incorporates the Hydro-block air vent at specific locations where ventilation is needed, while maintaining fluid-tight sealing at the urine collection and drainage areas. This localized differentiation of properties (permeable for air, impermeable for urine) allows the single component to perform both ventilation and fluid barrier functions effectively.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The combination catheter system significantly reduces skin ulcers, maceration, and UTIs by ensuring complete urine drainage away from the skin, allowing for secure placement and reduced risk of complications, and enabling users to engage in various physical activities without leakage or irritation.
Implementation Method 1
Hydro-block air vent that allows air to flow into the external catheter while blocking urine from exiting except through the distal end drain
Implementation Method 2
integrating a bladder relief sensor-activated pump for efficient urine management
Data Source
AI summary
This invention is a device utilizing hydro-block venting material in various external male and female catheter configurations permitting adequate airflow into the catheter thereby permitting efficient and complete drainage of urine away from the user following urination. In two embodiments user's expelled urine is automatically detected by a sensor and drawn away from the user by a pump means to a user selected storage means as a pressure relief balloon prevents air interference with the sensor. In another embodiment gravity is utilized to draw user's expelled urine away from user to a user selected storage means. An adhesive, garment or strap attachment means are disclosed as attachment means to secure the external male and female catheter to user and prevent leakage. The external male and female catheters are engineered to also be able to be connected to and used in combination with an indwelling catheter.