Salt-Packaged Intermittent Catheters to Retain Lubricious Additives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Intermittent catheters experience migration of surface coatings and additives, leading to reduced lubricity, discomfort, and potential harm to users, especially during storage and use.
Innovation Solution
A packaged intermittent catheter with a hollow polymeric tubular body containing an amphiphilic lubricious additive, housed in a packaging container with an aqueous solution comprising at least 5% w/v salt, which reduces additive migration by manipulating the energetic environment to retain the lubricious coating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an amphiphilic lubricious additive is used in the catheter, then the catheter surface becomes more lubricious and easier to insert, but the additive migrates out of the catheter over time reducing lubricity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the packaging medium by formulating an aqueous solution with specific salts (sodium chloride 0.9-2.0%, potassium chloride 0.025-0.1%, calcium chloride 0.025-0.1%, magnesium chloride 0.025-0.1%) to create an energetic environment that prevents additive migration while maintaining catheter lubricity during storage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary packaging medium (aqueous salt solution) between the catheter and the external environment. This intermediary solution acts as a barrier that prevents the amphiphilic additive from migrating out of the catheter during storage and transportation, while allowing the catheter to be re-wetted before use
2Reliability
If the catheter is packaged in a conventional storage medium, then the catheter is protected during storage, but the surface coatings and additives migrate out reducing lubricity and causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the packaging medium parameters from conventional storage solutions to a specific aqueous salt solution formulation that creates favorable energetic conditions for retaining amphiphilic additives on the catheter surface, thereby preventing migration-related discomfort during subsequent use
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-packaging the catheter in an aqueous salt solution that maintains additive stability during storage. This preliminary protective measure ensures the catheter remains lubricious and comfortable for use without requiring re-coating or additional treatment at the time of use
3Duration of action of moving object
If the catheter is used multiple times, then the catheter provides ongoing urinary drainage, but the surface coating continues to migrate causing reduced lubricity and potential harm
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the aqueous salt solution packaging medium as an intermediary that establishes favorable energetic conditions for additive retention. This intermediary environment prevents coating migration during storage between uses, ensuring the catheter remains safe and comfortable for multiple uses
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 solution maintains catheter lubricity during storage and use, reducing discomfort and potential harm by minimizing additive migration, and provides additional lubrication and osmotic balance.
Implementation Method 1
an aqueous solution which comprises at least one salt in a concentration of at least 5% w/v
Implementation Method 2
The amphiphilic block copolymer contains both a hydrophobic and hydrophilic portion. The hydrophilic portion diffuses to the surface of the catheter due to incompatibility with the hydrophobic base material
Implementation Method 3
The hydrophilic portion diffuses to the surface of the catheter due to incompatibility with the hydrophobic base material and provides for a lubricious surface coating
Implementation Method 4
Interactions between the hydrophobic portion of the amphiphilic molecule and the base material assist in reducing migration of the amphiphilic molecule from the catheter
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a packaged intermittent catheter, the intermittent catheter comprising a hollow polymeric tubular body comprising a base polymer and an amphiphilic lubricious additive, housed in a packaging container; and further comprising an aqueous solution in the packaging container; wherein the aqueous solution comprises at least one compound selected from the group comprising: a surfactant and/or poly (alkylene oxide) compound with a total concentration of at least 0.005 mmol/L; and a salt in a concentration of at least 5% w/v.