Self-Anchor Catheter With Valve Mechanism for Urine Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional urinary retention treatments, such as Foley catheters and intermittent catheterization, are associated with high infection rates, urethral damage, and inconvenience, leading to discomfort and reduced quality of life for patients, while existing solutions like magnetic valves cause patient discomfort and require external actuation.
Innovation Solution
A catheter with an elongated body and an adjusting mechanism that expands to anchor within the body, featuring a flexible portion and valve mechanism to control urine flow, allowing for easy insertion, removal, and complete drainage without external appliances, using materials like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) for comfort and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a Foley catheter is used for urinary retention treatment, then continuous drainage is achieved, but infection rate and urethral damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into multiple functional segments: a drainage lumen for urine flow, a retention lumen with balloon for anchoring, and a separate valve control mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while minimizing overall harm to the patient.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter incorporates a self-retaining balloon that can be inflated within the bladder to anchor the device without requiring external fixation. The valve mechanism allows patients to control drainage independently, reducing the need for external intervention and minimizing infection risk from repeated manipulations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If intermittent catheterization is applied, then infection rate is reduced, but patient convenience and time consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter provides continuous drainage capability through the retention lumen while allowing controlled opening of the valve for complete emptying. This eliminates the need for repeated insertion and removal of catheters, maintaining low infection rates while significantly improving patient convenience and reducing time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve mechanism allows dynamic control of the drainage flow rate and timing, enabling patients to adjust the system to their needs. The balloon can be inflated to different volumes to achieve optimal retention, and the valve can be opened completely or partially depending on the situation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a balloon anchor is used to prevent catheter slipping, then catheter stability is improved, but incomplete drainage and urine residue occur
Solution Approach 1:
The drainage function is separated into two lumens: one for continuous drainage and another for complete emptying through valve control. This segmentation ensures that the balloon anchor does not interfere with complete drainage, as the valve mechanism can open fully to allow all urine to exit.
Solution Approach 2:
The valve mechanism acts as an intermediary between the retention balloon and the external environment, controlling the flow of urine. This allows the balloon to maintain catheter stability while the valve ensures complete drainage by opening fully when needed, preventing urine residue.
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 catheter effectively reduces the risk of complications, enhances operational ease, and minimizes urine residue, thereby lowering the incidence of infections and improving patient comfort and mobility.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible portion of the catheter expands to anchor the catheter inside the subject
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
A catheter for guiding a body fluid of a subject includes an elongated body, an adjusting mechanism, and a valve mechanism. Moreover, the elongated body further includes a first portion, a second portion and a flexible portion between the first and the second portions. The second portion includes a passageway for the body liquid. The valve mechanism closes to the inlet of the passageway. Furthermore, the flexible portion expands when the adjusting mechanism is in a first state to prevent the catheter from being removed from the subject, and the flexible portion retracts when the adjusting mechanism alters to a second state to allow the catheter to be removed from or inserted into the subject. Hence, the body fluid is directed to enter the passageway via the inlet and exit via the outlet when the adjusting mechanism is not in the second state.