Catheter having a tapered structure and balloon formed above a lower drainage hole

Abstract

A indwelling or Foley catheter is provided that has a tapered structure. In an aspect, the catheter includes an elongated cylindrical body having a proximal end configured to lie inside the bladder when inserted into the urinary tract and a distal end configured to extend outside the urinary tract, wherein an outer diameter of the proximal end is larger than an outer diameter of the distal end.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catheter configured for insertion into a urinary tract, comprising:
 an elongated cylindrical body having a proximal end configured to lie inside the bladder when inserted into the urinary tract and a distal end configured to extend outside the urinary tract, wherein an outer diameter of the proximal end is larger than an outer diameter of the distal end.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the elongated cylindrical body between the proximal end and the distal end comprises a tapering diameter that tapers in size from a size of the outer diameter of the proximal end to a size of the outer diameter of the distal end. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated cylindrical body comprises an inner portion configured to lie inside the bladder when inserted into the urinary tract, a primary shaft configured to lie inside the urethra and extend outside the urinary tract, and transition portion positioned between the inner portion and the primary shaft and configured to lie adjacent to an external wall of the bladder. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 3 , wherein the inner portion has a greater diameter than the transition portion and the transition portion has a greater diameter than the primary shaft. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the transition portion has a diameter less than or equal to about 51% to about 90% of the diameter of the inner portion. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 3 , wherein the transition portion has a funnel shape with a tapering diameter that tapers from a first diameter at a portion of the transition portion adjacent to the bladder to a second diameter at a portion of the transition portion that connects to the primary shaft, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 3 , wherein the inner portion has a diameter of about 28.0 Fr, the transition portion has a tapering diameter from about 28.0 Fr to about 10.0 Fr with a median diameter of 14.0 Fr, and the primary shaft has a diameter of about 10.0 Fr. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 3 , wherein the inner portion has a length of about 15.0 cm, the transition portion has a length of about 1.5 cm, and the primary shaft has a length of about 30.0 cm. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical body comprises an inner lumen having openings at the distal and proximal ends of the cylindrical body and an outer lumen having an opening at the distal end thereof and a balloon attached to the proximal end thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the cylindrical body comprises at least one opening to the inner lumen between the balloon and the distal end of the cylindrical body on a portion of the cylindrical body configured to rest inside the bladder. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 10 , wherein the balloon has a shape that forms a channel between the balloon and the cylindrical body when filled, and wherein the at least one opening is provided within the channel. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 10 , wherein the balloon has an irregular spherical shape with a dome shaped crevice at the base thereof when filled and wherein the at least one hole is located within the dome shaped crevice. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the outer lumen comprises at least four channels provided at substantially evenly spaced positions from one another within the dimensions of the outer lumen for filling the balloon with sterile water or gas. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the inner lumen is coated with a material that has low friction to enhance urine flow. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the cylindrical body is coated with a material designed to reduce friction so that the catheter can be inserted into the urinary tract easily without undue force or trauma to the urethra, the bladder, or another body part. 
     
     
         16 . A catheter comprising:
 a cylindrical body configured to insert into the urinary tract and collect an expel urine from the bladder, the cylindrical body comprising:
 an inner portion beginning at a proximal end of the cylindrical body and configured to locate inside the bladder; 
 a shaft beginning at a distal end of the cylindrical body and configured to locate inside the urethra; 
 a transition portion between the inner portion and the shaft configured to locate inside the urethra where the urethra opens to the bladder; 
 a balloon attached to a lower part of the inner portion and configured to rest inside the bladder when inflated; 
 an inner lumen extending within the cylindrical body via which the urine is expelled; 
 one or more upper drainage holes on the inner portion that open to the inner lumen, wherein the one or more upper drainage holes are located between an upper surface of the balloon and the proximal end of the cylindrical body; and 
 one or more lower drainage holes on the inner portion that open to the inner lumen, wherein the one or more lower drainage holes are located between an upper surface of the balloon and a lower surface of the balloon. 
   
     
     
         17 . A catheter configured for insertion into a urinary tract, comprising:
 an elongated cylindrical body having a proximal end configured to lie inside the bladder when inserted into the urinary tract and a distal end configured to extend outside the urinary tract;   one or more sensors configured to capture information regarding a function of the bladder; and   a transmitter configured to transmit the information to a remote processing device.