Compact catheter assembly

Abstract

Packaging including a coiled and optionally prelubricated catheter, its distal end insertable into the urethra, a slidable hygienic sheath, a proximal catheter end for voiding urine from the distal end through the assembly to the proximal end. Mutually rotatable elements providing for withdrawal of the catheter from its coiled state to an extended state, and retraction of the catheter back to its coiled state. Methods of extending the catheter, inserting it into the urethra, and voiding urine through the catheter, without requiring complete removal from the catheter packaging. A kit including automatic extrusion of the catheter's distal end upon package opening, and a water pouch for hydrophilic lubrication, and sanitary wipes for reducing the likelihood of infection. A catheter within a flexible and optionally coiled tube, a slidable hygienic sheath covering a catheter's distal end that can move along the length of the catheter during insertion.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for using a compact urinary catheter assembly to void a bladder of a human or animal subject, the method comprising:
 grasping a sheath surrounding a portion of a catheter at a first position at or near a distal end of the catheter, wherein a majority of the catheter is housed in an enclosure, and wherein the distal end of the catheter is located outside the enclosure;   advancing the catheter out of the enclosure by pulling on the catheter via the grasped sheath;   sliding the sheath proximally along the catheter to a second position;   advancing the distal end of the catheter into a urethra of the subject;   further advancing the catheter into the urethra by grasping the sheath at the second position and pushing the catheter into the urethra; and   voiding the bladder through the catheter while a length of the catheter remains within the enclosure and while a proximal end of the catheter remains anchored in position outside the enclosure, so that urine passes from the bladder of the subject into the distal end of the catheter and out of the proximal end of the catheter into a receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed without touching the catheter itself and with touching only the sheath and the enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising, after voiding the bladder:
 winding the catheter at least partially into the enclosure by twisting a top portion of the enclosure relative to a bottom portion of the enclosure; and   disposing of the catheter, sheath and enclosure.   
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising opening a covering disposed over the distal end of the catheter and the sheath before grasping the sheath. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising removing the urinary catheter assembly from a sterile package before use. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the catheter is advanced out of a first hole in an outer wall of the enclosure, and wherein the proximal end of the catheter remains anchored to, and extends out of, a second hole in an inner wall of the enclosure. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein a lubricant is preloaded onto the catheter, under the sheath, before use, and wherein sliding the sheath proximally spreads the lubricant along the catheter. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising applying a lubricant to the catheter.