Urethral catheters and methods for facilitated introduction into the urinary tract

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide apparatus, systems and methods for facilitating introduction of a urinary drainage catheter (UDC) into the urinary tract (UT). One embodiment provides a UDC including electrodes for delivering high frequency current to a patient's pudendal nerves to relax the urinary sphincter (US) before passing the UDC therethrough so as reduce the resistance force on the UDC and discomfort to the patient. The electrodes can comprise at least one pair of bipolar electrodes and may be flexible so as to bend and flex within the urethra. The UDC includes one or more lumens including a drainage lumen and an inflation lumen for inflating an anchoring device on the UDC. The UDC can include a pressure sensor to assess relaxation of the US. The UDC may include a second set of electrodes and irrigation lumen for relaxing the US and flushing the urethra with the UDC in place.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A urinary drainage catheter comprising:
 an elongated flexible catheter body shaped and configured for advancement into a patient's bladder through the patient's urethra, the catheter body having a distal end and proximal end, the distal end terminating at a distal tip, and a drainage lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the catheter body to provide a urine drainage path when the distal end of the catheter is positioned in the patient's bladder;   at least one deployable anchor positioned near the distal end of the catheter body, the anchor configured to hold the catheter in place when the anchor is deployed in the bladder; and   at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element positioned at the distal end of the catheter body, the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element configured and positioned on the catheter body so as to be in proximity to a pudendal nerve of the patient to deliver energy to the patient's pudendal nerve to relax the patient's urinary sphincter as the distal end tip of the catheter body is at the urinary sphincter to promote advancement of the catheter body through the urinary sphincter and into the bladder via a reduced resistance force from the urinary sphincter.   
     
     
         2 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the energy is microwave energy, and the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element is configured to deliver the microwave energy. 
     
     
         3 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the energy is optical energy, and the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element is configured to deliver the optical energy. 
     
     
         4 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element includes one or more of a laser or an LED. 
     
     
         5 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the energy is acoustic energy, and the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element is an acoustic transducer configured to deliver the acoustic energy. 
     
     
         6 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the deployable anchor comprises an inflatable balloon connected to an inflation lumen in the catheter body. 
     
     
         7 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 6 , further comprising a proximal hub positioned at the proximal end of the catheter body, the proximal hub having a first port connected to the drainage lumen, a second port connected to the inflation lumen, and a third port for electrically connecting a cable to the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element. 
     
     
         8 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter distal tip comprises an atraumatic tip. 
     
     
         9 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 8 , wherein the atraumatic tip comprises a tapered tip or a hemispherical tip. 
     
     
         10 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising an irrigation lumen for irrigating the patient's urethra with the drainage catheter in place, the irrigation lumen extending from the proximal end to a distal portion of the catheter body and having a distal opening for the release of fluid to irrigate or flush the patient's urethra. 
     
     
         11 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensor positioned on the catheter body for measuring a urinary sphincter pressure. 
     
     
         12 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 11 , wherein the pressure sensor is positioned on the catheter body near the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element or the distal end of the catheter. 
     
     
         13 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor positioned on the catheter body for measuring tissue temperature near the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element. 
     
     
         14 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element comprises a radio frequency energy source connected to at least one electrode at the distal end of the catheter body by an elongated conductor which preferably comprises a wire or a cable. 
     
     
         15 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element comprises a flexible electrode configured to conform to a contour of the patient's urethra, such optionally wherein the flexible electrode comprises as a patch electrode or a conductive coating. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a urinary drainage catheter as in  claim 1 ; and   a controller configured to deliver energy to the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element to relax the urinary sphincter.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising an electrical power source for generating the energy, the power source operatively coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the power source is internal to the controller. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to deliver current at a frequency above 4 kHz, an amperage below 15 mA, and a voltage in a range from 40V to 60V. 
     
     
         20 . A system for facilitating urinary drainage of a patient, the system comprising:
 an elongated flexible catheter body shaped and configured for advancement into a patient's bladder through the patient's urethra; the catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end terminating at a distal tip, and a drainage lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end of the catheter body to provide a urine drainage path when the distal end of the catheter is positioned in the patient's bladder;   at least one deployable anchor positioned near the distal end of the catheter body, the anchor configured to hold the catheter in place when the anchor is deployed in the bladder;   at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element positioned at the distal end of the catheter body, the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element configured and positioned on the catheter body so as to be in proximity to a pudendal nerve of the patient when the distal tip of the catheter body is located within the urethra at the urinary sphincter; and   a controller coupled to the at least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element, the controller comprising a processor and instructions executable on the processor for controlling delivery of energy from the least one nerve stimulation energy delivery element through the urethral wall and to the patient's pudendal nerve, the energy formulated to relax the patient's urinary sphincter to thus promote advancement of the catheter body through the urinary sphincter and into the bladder via a reduced resistance force from the urinary sphincter.