Indwelling urinary catheter with self-retaining mechanism

Abstract

A urinary catheter with an improved retaining and activating feature is provided which is a safe device with reduced irritation and discomfort to a patient. The retaining mechanism positioned at the proximal end of the catheter assumes a “closed” state for introduction and removal of the catheter into and from the urethral tract, and is transitioned into the “open” state when the catheter is in the bladder by mechanically manipulating the retaining mechanism through an activation mechanism having a syringe based actuator with a plunger selectively displaceable within a receiving member.

1 . A catheter, comprising:
 (a) a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end, said tubular member defining a longitudinal channel extending between said proximal and distal ends,   (b) a retaining mechanism insertable in the urinary tract of a patient and positioned at said proximal end of said tubular member, said retaining mechanism controllably and selectively assuming an “open” position and a “closed” position,   (c) an activation mechanism positioned at said distal end of said tubular member, and   (d) an actuation linkage extending in said longitudinal channel of said tubular member and coupling said retaining and activation mechanisms each to the other, said actuation linkage reciprocally displaceable in said longitudinal channel bi-directionally under control of said activation mechanism, thereby actuating said retaining mechanism to assume one of said “open” and “closed” portions thereof, said activation mechanism including a syringe based actuator positioned at a distal end of said tubular member, said syringe based actuator having a receiving member attached to said distal end of said tubular member and a plunger member controllably slidable within said receiving member.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter as recited in  claim 1 , where said receiving member is a hollow tubular member. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter as recited in  claim 2  where said hollow tubular member is a hollow cylinder. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter as recited in  claim 1  where said plunger member is connected to said actuation linkage for displacing said activation mechanism in a longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter as recited in  claim 4  where said actuation linkage is a wire member extending from an end of said plunger member to said proximal end of said tubular member. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter as recited in  claim 1  where said actuation linkage is selected from a group consisting of: stainless steel wire, nylon wire, Dacron wire, and plastic wire. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter as recited in  claim 1  further comprising a drainage outlet member in fluid communication with said longitudinal channel. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter as recited in  claim 7  where said drainage outlet member is coupled to a sidewall of said tubular member. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter as recited in  claim 1  where said retaining mechanism includes a tip at said proximal end and at least a pair of slits extending from said tip along walls of said tubular member at predetermined locations thereat, said actuation linkage being connected by one end thereof to said tip,
 wherein in said open position of said retaining mechanism, said tubular member forms at least a pair of elastic wings defined by said slits and extending radially from said tip. 
 
     
     
         10 . The catheter as recited in  claim 1  including a latch member coupled to said plunger member for locking said retaining mechanism in said closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter as recited in  claim 10  where said latch member includes:
 (a) a slot formed in a sidewall of said plunger member; and 
 (b) a locking mechanism insertable in said slot formed in said sidewall of said plunger member. 
 
     
     
         12 . The catheter as recited in  claim 11  where said locking member is coupled to a ring holder coupled to said plunger member. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter as recited in  claim 1  including a sealing mechanism applied to said longitudinal channel for preventing fluid escape from said distal end of said tubular member. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter as recited in  claim 13  where said sealing mechanism is a Tuohy-Borst valve positioned between said distal end of said tubular member and said syringe based actuator.