GB2135194A - Urethral catheter - Google Patents

Abstract

A urethral catheter has a seal 16c at the bladder/urethra junction, and a manifold structure 16b and 17 adjacent this seal, serving to distribute around the catheter body in the urethra, to combat infection, irrigation liquid applied thereto by way of a lumen 13b separate from that for drainage. The sealing means and manifold can each suitably involve an inflatable annular membrane connected around the catheter body over the proximal opening of a lumen 13c for supply of air under pressure. These membranes can be of separate identity in contiguous serial relation over separate lumens, or they and their lumens can be coincident. Preferably a resilient penile sheath (18, Figure 1) is connected around the catheter body distally of the manifold, this sheath having an outlet port and serving, in use, to channel out-flowing irrigation liquid. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Catheters This invention concerns catheters and more particularly urethral catheters such as widely used in long term application for urinary drainage from patients suffering incontinence and other conditions.

A common difficulty encountered in this usage is the liabilityforinfection to occurfrom intrusion of pathogenic matter between the catheter and the urethra. This difficulty a rises most frequently from external intrusion, but can also arise by internal intrusion from the bladder. Also, this difficulty is especially pronounced in the case of male patients by virtue of the longer urethra relative to females.

An object of the present invention is to alleviate this difficulty and for this purpose there is provided a urethral catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having one end portion proximally locatable in the bladder by passage through the urethra, means connected with said end portion and operable in use substantially to seal the body location in the bladder relative to the urethra, a first drainage lumen extending distally through the body from an opening proximal of said sealing means, a manifold structure located around said body distally adjacent said sealing means, and a second irrigation lumen extending distally through said bodyfrom an opening communicating with said manifold structure.

In use of the proposed cathetherthe body is passed through the urethra to locate the proximal end portion in the bladder, whereupon the first lumen serves to drain urine. When the catheter is so located irrigation liquid can be applied distally to the second lumen to cause, with simultaneous operation of the sealing means, flow of the liquid through the manifold structure and back between the catheter body and the urethral wall to combat infection.

Preferably the manifold structure comprises an annular membrane connected around the body and over the second lumen opening, this membrane being inflatable by application of irrigation liquid through said second lumen and being apertured to distribute such liquid around the catheter body.

The sealing means also preferably comprises an annular membrane connected around the catheter body and over the opening of a respective lumen extending distally through the body, the membrane being inflatable by fluid applied through the lumen to serve as an annular plug around the body at the junction of the bladder and urethra.

In initial conception the preferred catheter has two membranes in contiguous serial location along the body, with the proximal membrane inflatable to form a larger balloon serving as the sealing means, and the distal membrane inflatable to form a smaller balloon serving as the manifold structure. There will, of course, be separate second and third lumens respectively for the distal and proximal membranes.

However, a possible alternative arrangement may employ a single membrane and respective lumen to serve as both the sealing means and manifold structure.

It is, in any case, further preferred that the proposed catheter comprise a resilient sheath connected at one end around the body at a distance distally from the manifold structure and having, adjacent its connected end, an outlet port. This sheath is intended for use in the manner of a condom on male patients to channel returning irrigation liquid to the outlet port from which it can be drained.

In order that the invention as so far described may be more fully and clearly understood, the same will now be further described by way of example with reference to a presently preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 schematically illustrates the embodiment in use on a male patient, and Figure 2 illustrates part of the embodiment in more detail.

The illustrated catheter is denoted generally at 10, and the associated urethra, bladder and penis of the patient are similarly denoted at 20, 30 and 40, respectively.

The catheter 10 includes an elongate flexible body 11 of singular and uniform cross-sectional form over a major part of its length, but varies over its distal and proximal end portions. The distal end portion branches into three terminal parts 12a, b and c individually associated with different ones of three lumens 13a, b and c extending to the free ends of these parts from respective proximal openings 14a, b and c. The proximal end of the body 11 is of closed rounded form with the openings 14 being serially located along the side of the body: opening 14a proximally, 14b least proximally, and 14c between the others.

The lumens 13a and b are open at the free ends of theirterminal parts 12a and b, but the terminal part 1 2c includes a valve 15 acting normally to close lumen 13c, the detail of the terminal parts and the valve 15 being of any suitable form for the respective purposes described below.

First and second annular membranes 16b and c are connected around the body 11 respectively over the lumen openings 14b and c, these membranes being contiguous and possibly partially overlapping.

Membrane 16b is narrower than 1 6c and, in addition, has a sequence of apertures 17 around it.

A remaining feature of the illustrated catheter is the provision of a resilient sheath 18 connected at one end around the body 11 at a distance distally from the first membrane 16b and having adjacent such end an outlet port 19.

In use of the catheter the proximal end portion, including the membranes 16, is passed through the urethra 20 into the bladder 30. The lumen 13a can then immediately serve to drain urine by access through its opening 14a in the bladder and the respective terminal part 1 2a is connected, by way of an extension tube if appropriate, to a collection bag or other vessel.

Once the catheter is so located the membrane 1 6c is inflated to form a balloon by the application of a pressurised fluid, suitably air, through the valve 15 to the lumen 13c and thence to opening 14c. This balloon serves to retain the catheter in place and so the valve 15 is to be of a suitable unidirectional form to sustain the balloon inflated. Also this balloon can serve substantially to seal the bladder from the urethra around the catheter body, this effect being enhanced by the application of distal force on the body to pull the balloon towards the urethra. It should be noted, however, that this sealing is not adequate of itself to inhibit the passage of urinaryborne pathogensfrom the bladder to the urethra.

The other membrane 1 6b is inflated by the application under pressure of irrigation liquid through lumen 1 3b. This liquid will, of course, pass through the membrane by way of the apertures 17to be distributed around the catheter body as by a manif old structure, and the emergent liquid will be constrained by the action of the ballooned membrane 1 6c to flow distally between the catheter body and the wall of the urethra. The liquid is suitably saline or some other kind effective to combat infection, and it can be applied at intervals by use of a syringe coupled with the terminal part 1 2c or continuously by gravity feed from a reservoir coupled by tube to the part 12c.

The additional feature of the sheath 18 serves to embrace the penis in the manner of a condom to channel returning irrigation liquid through its port 19 to drain by way of a tube connection to a collection vessel. As with a condom the sheath can be rolled prior to use and can be left in this condition when not required.

It is also appropriate to note that the manifold structure and irrigation lumen can be used additionally to flush the bladder by pushing the catheter body proximally into the bladder whilst applying appropriate liquid. In these circumstances the liquid will, of course, pass out of the bladder by way of the drainage lumen.

Whilst the invention has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiment, it is not intended that this be regarded as limiting the invention. Clearly other forms of manifold structure can be envisaged, but the proposed use of an inflatable apertured membrane is thought to be simple in minimising the related formation of the catheter body. Also other forms of sealing means may be envisaged, but the preferred balloon form has the merit, again, of being simple and, in addition, of being established in routine usage in so-called "Foley catheters for the purposes of retention. Lastly it has been noted that a modified form may comprise a single inflatable membrane to serve both as a seal and manifold structure.

Claims (7)

1. A urethral catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having one end portion proximally locatable in the bladder by passage through the urethra, means connected with said portion and operable in use substantially to seal the body location in the bladder relative to the urethra, a first drainage lumen extending distally through the body from an opening proximal of said sealing means, a manifold structure located around said body distally adjacent said sealing means, and a second irrigation lumen extending distally through said body from an opening communicating with said manifold structure.

2. A catheter according to Claim 1 wherein said manifold structure comprises a first annular membrane connected around said body and over said second lumen opening, said membrane being inflatable by application of irrigation liquid through said second lumen and being apertured to distribute such liquid around said body.

3. A catheter according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein said sealing means comprises a second annular membrane connected around said body and over the opening of a third lumen extending distally through said body from such opening, said second membrane being inflatable by fluid applied through said third lumen to serve as an annular plug around the body at the junction of the bladder and urethra.

4. A catheter according to Claims 2 and 3 wherein said first and second membranes are disposed in contiguous serial location along said body, such membranes being separately inflatable to form respectively smaller and larger balloons.

5. A catheter according to Claims 2 and 3 wherein said first and second membranes and said second and third lumens associated therewith are respectively coincident.

6. A catheter according to any preceding claim comprising a resilient penile sheath connected at one end around said body at a distance distally from said manifold structure and having, adjacent such one end, an outlet port.

7. A urinary catheter substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.