Urine collection bags for urinary catheter systems

Abstract

Urine collection bags are provided that include features that facilitate easy insertion of a urinary catheter into a patient's bladder. In some implementations, the urine collection bag is formed of a soft, flexible material that is comfortable when it contacts the user's skin, easy to manipulate, and relatively noiseless during use.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A urine collection bag for use in a urinary catheter system, comprising: 
 opposed portions of plastic sheet material that are sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed receptacle;    each portion including a surface texture having a depth sufficient to increase the flexibility of the plastic sheet material relative to an otherwise identical plastic sheet material without the surface texture.    
     
     
         2 . The urine collection bag of  claim 1  wherein the surface texture is provided on the opposed surfaces of the portions.  
     
     
         3 . The urine collection bag of  claim 1  wherein the depth of the surface texture is selected to provide the plastic sheet material with a hardness of less than about 85 Shore A.  
     
     
         4 . The urine collection bag of  claim 1  wherein the depth of the surface texture is at least about 25% of the thickness of the plastic sheet material.  
     
     
         5 . The urine collection bag of  claim 4  wherein the depth of the surface texture is from about 25% to 75% of the thickness of the plastic sheet material.  
     
     
         6 . The urine collection bag of  claim 5  wherein the depth of the surface texture is from about 40% to 60% of the thickness of the plastic sheet material.  
     
     
         7 . The urine collection bag of  claim 1  wherein the plastic sheet material comprises polyvinyl chloride.  
     
     
         8 . The urine collection bag of  claim 1  wherein the plastic sheet material has an overall thickness of from about 5 to 10 mils.  
     
     
         9 . The urine collection bag of  claim 3  wherein the surface texture provides the sheet material with a hardness of from about 60 to 85 Shore A.  
     
     
         10 . A urine collection bag for use in a urinary catheter system, comprising: 
 opposed portions of plastic sheet material that are sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed bag;    a surface texture disposed on the opposed surfaces of each of the portions.    
     
     
         11 . The urine collection bag of  claim 10  wherein the plastic sheet material comprises polyethylene.  
     
     
         12 . A urine collection bag for use in a urinary catheter system including a catheter having an introducer tip for introduction of the catheter into the urethra, the urine collection bag comprising: 
 opposed portions of plastic sheet material that are sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed receptacle, the receptacle having an open end through which the catheter can be advanced into the urethra; and    joined to the receptacle at the open end, a braking interface tube constructed to receive and guide the introducer tip, the braking interface tube having a beveled leading edge.    
     
     
         13 . The urine collection bag of  claim 12  wherein the leading edge is inclined at an angle of from about 15 to 45 degrees.  
     
     
         14 . The urine collection bag of  claim 12  wherein facing surfaces of the opposed portions of plastic sheet material include a surface texture.  
     
     
         15 . The urine collection bag of  claim 12  wherein the braking interface tube is formed from a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyurethanes, silicones and coextrusions thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The urine collection bag of  claim 12  or  15  wherein the braking interface tube is formed of a material having a hardness of from about 40 to 80 Shore A.  
     
     
         17 . The urine collection bag of  claim 12  wherein the beveled leading edge defines an open area, and the braking interface tube is dimensioned and positioned so as to allow a user to place his thumb against a first one of the opposed portions, over the open area, and his index finger on the opposite one of the opposed portions, approximately aligned with the thumb, so that the thumb presses the first opposed portion directly against the catheter tube, while the index finger presses the opposite opposed portion against a lower surface of the braking interface tube, which in turn presses against the catheter tube.  
     
     
         18 . The urine collection bag of  claim 17  wherein the open area is substantially elliptical.  
     
     
         19 . A urine collection bag for use in a urinary catheter system including a catheter having an introducer tip for introduction of the catheter into the urethra, the urine collection bag comprising: 
 opposed portions of plastic sheet material that are sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed receptacle, the receptacle having an open end through which the catheter can be advanced into the urethra; and    joined to the receptacle at the open end, a braking interface tube constructed to receive and guide the introducer tip, the braking interface tube being formed of a material having a hardness of from about 40 to 70 Shore A.    
     
     
         20 . The urine collection bag of  claim 19  wherein the braking interface tube comprises polyvinyl chloride.  
     
     
         21 . A urine collection bag for use in a urinary catheter system, comprising: 
 opposed portions of plastic sheet material that are sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed receptacle;    the plastic sheet material being a noiseless material.    
     
     
         22 . A urine collection bag for use in a urinary catheter system, comprising: 
 opposed portions of a polyvinyl chloride plastic sheet material having an overall thickness of from about 5 to 10 mils, the opposed portions being sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed receptacle.    
     
     
         23 . A urine collection bag for use in a urinary catheter system, comprising: 
 opposed portions of plastic sheet material that are sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed receptacle;    the receptacle being substantially bottle-shaped.    
     
     
         24 . The urine collection bag of  claim 23  wherein the receptacle includes an elongated neck region, having a width of less than about 50 mm.  
     
     
         25 . The urine collection bag of  claim 23  or  24  wherein the receptacle includes curved shoulders.  
     
     
         26 . The urine collection bag of  claim 25  wherein the shoulders has a radius of curvature of from about 0.25 to 1.03 degrees.  
     
     
         27 . The urine collection bag of  claim 23  wherein the receptacle has a total volume of at least 1000 cc.  
     
     
         28 . A urine collection bag for use in a urinary catheter system, comprising: 
 opposed portions of plastic sheet material that are sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed receptacle;    each portion including a surface texture having a depth sufficient to increase the flexibility of the plastic sheet material relative to an otherwise identical plastic sheet material without the surface texture, the surface texture being disposed on an interior surface of the receptacle; and    an interface tube having a beveled opening constructed to allow a user to apply pressure with an index finger or thumb from an exterior surface of the receptacle and thereby press the surface texture against a urinary catheter disposed within the receptacle to hold the catheter in place while manipulating the sheet material to advance the catheter out of the receptacle.    
     
     
         29 . The urine collection bag of  claim 28  wherein the plastic sheet material is a noiseless material.  
     
     
         30 . The urine collection bag of  claim 29  wherein the noiseless material comprises PVC.  
     
     
         31 . The urine collection bag of clam  10  wherein the surface texture is constructed to increase the friction between the opposed surfaces of the portions and a catheter during gripping of the catheter by a patient, relative to the friction exerted by opposed portions of an otherwise identical plastic sheet material without the surface texture.  
     
     
         32 . The urine collection bag of  claim 31  wherein the surface texture is constructed to provide pockets for receiving lubricant.  
     
     
         33 . A closed catheter system comprising: 
 a urine collection bag including opposed portions of plastic sheet material that are sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed receptacle, each portion including a surface texture having a depth sufficient to increase the flexibility of the plastic sheet material relative to an otherwise identical plastic sheet material without the surface texture; and    a catheter disposed within the baa:    the urine collection bag being constructed to allow the catheter to be advanced from the bag by a user.    
     
     
         34 . A closed catheter system comprising: 
 a urine collection bag including opposed portions of plastic sheet material that are sealed together around a peripheral edge to define a substantially closed bag;    a surface texture disposed on the opposed surfaces of each of the portions; and    a catheter disposed within the bag;    the urine collection bag being constructed to allow the catheter to be advanced from the bag by a user.    
     
     
         35 . The closed catheter system of  claim 34  wherein the surface texture is constructed to increase the friction between the opposed surfaces of the portions and the catheter during gripping of the catheter by a patient, relative to the friction exerted by opposed portions of an otherwise identical plastic sheet material without the surface texture.  
     
     
         36 . The closed catheter system of  claim 35  wherein the catheter is lubricated.  
     
     
         37 . The closed catheter system of  claim 36  wherein the surface texture is constructed to provide pockets for receiving lubricant.