Catheter wetting system and method

Abstract

The present invention includes a system and method for wetting a catheter. The wetting system can include a catheter container, a fluid packet, and a catheter. The fluid packet and catheter container are adapted and configured to require opening the packet and moving the container to wet the catheter. The method includes opening the packet and moving the container to wet the catheter.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A catheter wetting system comprising: 
 a catheter container;    a fluid packet; and    a hydrophilic catheter;    the fluid packet and the hydrophilic catheter being sealed within the catheter container;    the fluid packet and catheter container being adapted and configured so that opening the packet only incompletely wets the coated length of the hydrophilic catheter.    
     
     
         2 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter container is adapted and configured to be moved to move wetting fluid over the insertable coated length of the hydrophilic catheter.  
     
     
         3 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter container comprises flexible material that can be manipulated to spread wetting fluid over the coated length of the hydrophilic catheter.  
     
     
         4 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter container comprises a pouch formed from a translucent material and a clear material, a first side of the pouch comprising the translucent material and a second side of the pouch comprising the clear material, the pouch being sealed around the edges.  
     
     
         5 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid packet comprises a first piece of packet material and a second piece of packet material, the first piece and second piece of packet material being sealed to one another around the edges, the seal being substantially uniform around the edge.  
     
     
         6 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid packet comprises hydrophobic material.  
     
     
         7 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 6 , wherein the hydrophobic material comprises polyethylene and aluminum foil.  
     
     
         8 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid packet comprises an aqueous wetting composition.  
     
     
         9 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 8 , wherein the aqueous wetting composition comprises sterile water or sterile saline solution.  
     
     
         10 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 8 , wherein the sterile water or sterile saline solution comprise sterile distilled water.  
     
     
         11 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic catheter comprises a hydrophilic coating over an insertable length of the catheter.  
     
     
         12 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , further comprising a urine collection bag.  
     
     
         13 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions that the catheter container be moved to move the wetting fluid over the insertable coated length of the hydrophilic catheter.  
     
     
         14 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions printed on the catheter container stating that the catheter container be moved to move the wetting fluid over the insertable coated length of the hydrophilic catheter.  
     
     
         15 . A method of wetting a hydrophilic catheter comprising: 
 providing a hydrophilic catheter and a fluid packet in a catheter container;    breaching the fluid packet to release fluid into the container thereby only incompletely wetting the coated length of the hydrophilic catheter; and    moving the container to move the wetting fluid over the insertable coated length of the hydrophilic catheter.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein providing comprises providing a catheter container with the hydrophilic catheter and the fluid packet sealed inside.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein breaching comprises striking, piercing, or squeezing the fluid packet.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein breaching comprises squeezing or striking the fluid packet without opening the catheter container.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein breaching comprises squeezing or striking the fluid packet through material of the catheter container.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein moving comprises tilting one end of the catheter container relative to an opposite end of the catheter container, manipulating the catheter container to move the water, or both tilting and manipulating.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein manipulating the catheter container comprises applying finger pressure to material forming the catheter container to push fluid within the catheter container.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 opening the catheter container;    removing the wetted hydrophilic catheter from the opened catheter container; and    using the wetted and removed hydrophilic catheter.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein breaching and moving are conducted without opening the catheter container.  
     
     
         24 . An article of manufacture comprising: 
 a catheter container;    a fluid packet;    a hydrophilic catheter; and    instructions that the catheter container be moved to move the wetting fluid over the insertable coated length of the hydrophilic catheter;    the fluid packet and the hydrophilic catheter being sealed within the catheter container;    the fluid packet and catheter container being adapted and configured so that opening the packet wets only incompletely wets the coated length of the hydrophilic catheter.    
     
     
         25 . The catheter wetting system of  claim 24 , comprising the instructions printed on the catheter container or adhered to the catheter container.