A urinary catheter assembly includes a catheter member and a sleeve member receiving at least a portion of the catheter member and having a greater flexibility than the catheter member. The assembly also includes a stylet having a proximal end movably positioned within the catheter member, with a distal portion of the stylet being positioned outside of the catheter member. The assembly is movable between a compact configuration and an extended configuration. In the compact configuration, the distal portion of the stylet is positioned outside of the catheter member and at least partially within the sleeve member. In the extended configuration, a larger distal portion of the stylet is positioned outside of the catheter member than in the compact configuration. The assembly may be in the extended configuration for introduction into a urethra or may be advanced through a urethra prior to being moved to the extended configuration.

Drug delivery devices and systems, are provided for delivery of a drug into the upper urinary tract of patients in need thereof. The drug delivery devices (100) may be deployed directly into the renal pelvis via a patient's ureter, bladder, and urethra, and the drug delivery devices can be wholly retained therein for local continuous, controlled release of a drug over an extended period.

Sensor electrodes are fabricated in situ within or on a surface of a medical device. For example, a catheter can have a lumen extending between first and second longitudinal ends of the catheter. A patterning mold can be inserted into the lumen via the first longitudinal end of the catheter such that first and second surface portions of the lumen are exposed from the patterning mold and remaining surface portions of the lumen are covered by and in contact with the patterning mold. A first electrode layer can be formed on the first and second surface portions exposed from the patterning mold using electroless deposition. After the forming, the patterning mold can be removed from the lumen. Additional electrode layers can be formed on the first electrode layer, for example, via electroplating. In some embodiments, the electrode layers can be used for detection of bacterial biofilm growth.

An pressure attenuation device for use in a body can include a balloon comprising an outer wall and defining an interior chamber therein. The balloon can be configured to elastically deform up to at least to an internal pressure of 90 cm H2O. A high vapor pressure media having a vapor pressure of between 155 cm-185 cm H2O at 37 degrees Celsius can be positioned within the interior chamber. The balloon can have a minimum wall thickness of between 0.001 inches-0.00175 inches.

Implants comprising electrically-responsive hydrogel are described. Systems to provide electricity to induce response in hydrogel-containing implants are described. Methods for utilizing said system and methods for utilizing said hydrogel-containing implants are described.

Disclosed herein is a method for increasing urine output and/or sodium output from a patient having venous congestion. The method includes (a) administering at least one medicament to a patient, wherein the medicament increases urine output and/or sodium output from the patient; and (b) applying negative pressure to a drainage lumen of a urinary catheter such that flow of urine from a ureter and/or kidney of the patient is transported within the drainage lumen to extract urine from the patient; wherein administering the at least one medicament occurs before, during and/or after applying negative pressure.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to a dynamic pressure response drainage system including control logic configured to enable measuring of residual fluid disposed within the drainage lumen. The residual fluid volume is measured by detecting the magnitude of the dynamic pressure response in the system containing the residual fluid when a sudden displacement (e.g. increase or decrease) of air volume occurs inside the system. The pressure burst magnitude is related to the pressure needed to move the mass of fluid, thus the fluid volume can be calculated from measurements of the burst pressure. The magnitude of the measured air pressure exhibits a dynamic pressure response corresponding to the mass of fluid in the tube. Either positive or negative pressure bursts can be used to produce and measure the corresponding positive or negative dynamic response spike pressure.

A coated urinary catheter or urinary stent device includes a urinary catheter or stent which, in a deployed position, includes or defines a protective surface area and a protected surface area and a coating upon at least a portion of the protective surface area. The coating includes a lubricant and an antimicrobial and/or pH buffering material. The device is configured such that, upon application of negative pressure to the catheter or stent, tissue of a urinary tract of a patient conforms or collapses onto the protective surface area and is thereby prevented or inhibited from occluding one or more protected drainage holes, ports or perforations of the catheter or stent.

Disclosed is a bladder drainage apparatus comprising a tube including a hollow interior extending through the tube, a flexible anchor, which behaves spring-like, connected to or at one end of the tube, and a magnetic member connected to or at the other end of the tube. The tube is moveable when the magnetic member is engaged by an external magnetic force, creating magnetic traction, and moving the tube, e.g., outward (from its original position, where the sphincter is typically closed), such that it holds open a sphincter, allowing urine to drain from the bladder, to the urethra, to outside of the body. When the external magnetic force is released, the magnetic engagement is terminated, and the force of the flexible anchor pulls the tube back to its original position, whereby the sphincter is again closed, and accordingly urine flow is stopped or otherwise limited.

Systems and methods for performing Direct Sodium Removal (DSR) therapy are provided in which an implantable device includes a pump coupled to an inlet catheter designed for placement in a patient's peritoneal cavity, an outlet catheter designed to be coupled to the patient's bladder, and is operably coupled to an analyte sensor, the pump programmed to transfer and/or cease transfer of fluid from the patient's peritoneal cavity to the patient's bladder for voiding responsive to a level of analyte detected by the analyte sensor. In addition, the system may include a processor that computes an amount of analyte transferred per pumping session.