Single-Opening Catheter with Guidewire for Trauma-Free Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional urinary catheters with eyelets cause trauma to the urethra during insertion, lead to infections, and suffer from slow drainage due to turbulent fluid forces and clogging issues.
Innovation Solution
A catheter design featuring a single entrance opening at the first end without eyelets, with a structurally strong annular sidewall and various inner surface configurations such as channels and dimples to enhance fluid flow and reduce friction, allowing for faster urine drainage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If eyelets are formed in the catheter body sidewall to facilitate insertion, then insertion is easier, but trauma to the urethra occurs and infections are caused
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the eyelets from the catheter body sidewall entirely. The catheter body is made structurally strong without eyelets, and a separate guidewire with a curved tip is used to facilitate insertion through the urethra. This extracts the harmful eyelet component while maintaining insertion capability through an alternative mechanism.
2Productivity
If eyelets are formed in the catheter body sidewall, then fluid intake is enabled, but drainage time increases due to turbulent fluid forces
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes eyelets from the catheter body, eliminating the source of turbulent fluid forces. Instead, a single opening is provided at the distal end of the catheter, which allows urine to flow smoothly into the lumen without the turbulence caused by multiple sidewall eyelets, thereby reducing drainage time.
Solution Approach 2:
The guidewire has a curved or spheroidal tip that facilitates smooth insertion and positioning. This curvature helps the guidewire navigate the urethra naturally and positions the catheter opening optimally for efficient urine drainage without turbulence.
3Productivity
If eyelets are formed in the catheter body sidewall, then fluid intake is enabled, but clogging occurs with mucus or debris
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the multiple eyelets from the catheter body sidewall, which were prone to clogging. A single opening at the distal end is provided, which is less susceptible to clogging by mucus or debris. The guidewire with curved tip helps position this single opening optimally for reliable fluid intake without blockage.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a single entrance opening is provided at the first end, then trauma to the urethra is prevented, but insertion difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a guidewire as an intermediary tool to facilitate insertion. The guidewire with curved tip is inserted first through the urethra to guide the catheter body, making insertion easier without requiring eyelets on the catheter body itself. This mediator enables trauma-free insertion with a single opening design.
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 design facilitates faster urine drainage, reduces the risk of infection, and prevents clogging, ensuring complete bladder drainage without the drawbacks of conventional catheters.
Implementation Method 1
a lumen defined by the inner surface adapted to drain the fluid from a bladder
Implementation Method 2
friction forces created by the urine flow contacting the inner surface of the catheter decreases the fluid flow or drainage rate
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter has an entrance opening defined by the first end of a catheter body and non-circular inner surface in cross section. The entrance opening intersects a longitudinal axis extending longitudinally through the center of a lumen adapted to drain urine from a bladder. The non-circular inner surface can have dimples, channels, or grooves, all of which decrease frictional fluid forces against the inner surface as the urine drains. The catheter is free of any eyelets formed in the side wall of the catheter body. The catheter further includes a plurality of distinct longitudinally extending convex outer surfaces and may have an enlarged head.