Segmented Balloon Catheter for Residual Urine Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Foley catheters often leave residual urine in the bladder due to the distance between the drainage holes and the bladder bottom, preventing complete urine drainage.
Innovation Solution
A balloon-manipulating device with a tubular body, balloon-compressing pieces, and balloon-letting through holes is used to compress and shape the balloon catheter, creating channels and lobes that anchor the catheter in the bladder and facilitate drainage of residual urine through secondary apertures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the drainage hole is positioned in the distal end portion of the shaft, then the catheter can be easily inserted and positioned in the bladder, but residual urine remains in the bladder due to the distance between the drainage hole and the bladder bottom
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon is divided into multiple segments or lobes (first lobe, second lobe, etc.) that can independently contact and seal against different portions of the bladder wall. This segmentation allows the balloon to effectively divide the bladder space, enabling the drainage hole to access residual urine that would otherwise be inaccessible from the standard distal positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-point drainage approach to a multi-dimensional drainage strategy by creating multiple balloon lobes that contact the bladder wall at different locations and angles. This dimensional expansion of the balloon structure allows urine access from multiple directions, effectively reaching residual urine regardless of the drainage hole's longitudinal position.
2Reliability
If the balloon is inflated to anchor the catheter in the bladder, then the catheter remains stable, but the distance between the drainage hole and bladder bottom prevents complete urine drainage
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon is segmented into multiple lobes that can independently expand to contact different portions of the bladder wall. This segmentation maintains anchoring stability while creating multiple pathways for urine to reach the drainage hole, solving the problem of residual urine accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the balloon are configured with different properties - some lobes are designed to contact specific regions of the bladder wall to maintain anchoring, while other portions create channels or pathways that facilitate urine flow to the drainage hole. This local differentiation of balloon functionality addresses both anchoring and drainage requirements.
3Device complexity
If a conventional Foley catheter with a single drainage hole is used, then the device structure is simple, but residual urine cannot be completely drained from the bladder
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon is segmented into multiple lobes with different functionalities - some lobes provide anchoring while others facilitate urine access. This segmentation enables complete urine drainage without adding complex external components to the catheter structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-lobed balloon structure serves multiple functions simultaneously - it provides catheter anchoring, creates urine access pathways, and enables complete drainage - all within a single balloon component, avoiding the need for additional separate devices or complex mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A balloon-manipulating device for a balloon catheter, methods of making, and methods of use. The balloon-manipulating device includes a tubular body, a longitudinal hole through a least a portion of the tubular body, one or more balloon-compressing pieces of a sidewall of the tubular body, and one or more balloon-letting through holes through the sidewall. The longitudinal hole may extend from an opened proximal end of the tubular body to at least a distal end portion of the tubular body, and is configured for inserting a balloon-catheter shaft therein. Each of the one or more balloon-compressing pieces is configured for compressing a different portion of an inflated balloon-catheter balloon when the balloon-manipulating device is disposed over the balloon. Each of the one or more balloon-letting through holes is configured for allowing therethrough a different portion of an inflated balloon-catheter balloon when the balloon-manipulating device is disposed over the balloon.