Catheter

Abstract

The present invention relates to a catheter 10. The catheter 10 includes a catheter tube 12 having a tip end 13 and a distal end 14, with the distal end 14 being coupled to or forming at least part of a funnel 16 for discharging fluid from within the catheter tube 12. A sleeve 18 is provided about the catheter tube 12 which is coupled at an end thereof to the funnel 16 and extends towards the tip end 13 of the catheter tube 12. The catheter 10 additionally includes a wetting mechanism 20 which is integrally formed with the funnel 16 and includes a holding chamber 22 and a fluid outlet 26 operable to allow fluid 24 from within the holding chamber 22 to be released within the sleeve 18 for wetting an outer surface of the catheter tube 12.

Claims

1. A catheter, comprising: a catheter tube having a tip end and a distal end, the distal end coupled to or forming at least part of a funnel for discharging fluid from within the catheter tube; a sleeve provided about the catheter tube, coupled at an end thereof to the funnel and extending towards the tip end of the catheter tube; and a wetting mechanism integrally formed with the funnel, the wetting mechanism comprising: a holding chamber having a volume of fluid contained therein; and a fluid outlet operable to allow fluid from within the holding chamber to be released within the sleeve for wetting an outer surface of the catheter tube.

2. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the funnel comprises one or more wall which at least partially define the holding chamber.

3. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more walls of the funnel define, at least in part, an outlet for fluid within the catheter tube.

4. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the funnel is at least partly formed of a flexible material.

5. A catheter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the funnel is at least partly formed of a compressible material.

6. A catheter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the funnel comprises a wall which includes a flexible and/or compressible portion defining an interaction region of the funnel, wherein the interaction region is configured to compress, bend and/or flex upon application of a force by a user.

7. A catheter as claimed in claim 6, wherein the interaction region is configured such that, in use, compressing, bending and/or flexing of the interaction region causes release of fluid from the holding chamber through the fluid outlet.

8. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid outlet comprises a valve arrangement.

9. A catheter as claimed in claim 8, wherein the valve arrangement is provided as part of the funnel and forms a closable aperture within a wall of the funnel.

10. A catheter as claimed in claim 8, wherein the valve arrangement is configured to open to allow fluid to flow therethrough upon compressing, bending and/or flexing of the funnel.

11. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid outlet comprises a frangible portion of the funnel.

12. A catheter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the frangible portion is configured open, in use, in response to compressing, bending and/or flexing the funnel.

13. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid is contained within a container within the holding chamber.

14. A catheter as claimed in claim 13, wherein the container comprises a sachet, blister pack or capsule positioned within the holding chamber and holding fluid therein.

15. A catheter as claimed in claim 13, wherein the wetting mechanism is configured such that the container is ruptured, split or otherwise broken upon compressing, bending and/or flexing the funnel.

16. A catheter as claimed in claim 15, wherein rupturing, splitting or otherwise breaking the container causes release of the contained fluid from the container, thereby causing the released fluid to flow through the fluid outlet and into the sleeve of the catheter.

17. A catheter as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fluid outlet comprises an aperture within the holding chamber allowing fluid to flow freely therethrough upon release from the container.

18. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the funnel comprises a substantially triangular profile.

19. A catheter as claimed in claim 18, wherein an outlet of the catheter tube is positioned at a first apex, with the holding chamber extending at least partially between the other apices.

20. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wetting mechanism comprises a fluid release control component for controlling release of the fluid from the holding chamber.

21. A catheter as claimed in claim 20, wherein the fluid release control component is moveable between a first position corresponding to a position wherein the fluid release control component prevents release of fluid from within the holding chamber, and a second position corresponding to a position wherein the fluid release control component allows for the release of fluid from within the holding chamber.

22. A catheter as claimed in claim 20, wherein the fluid release control component comprises a plug configured to be at least partly withdrawn from the wetting mechanism to cause release of the fluid from the holding chamber.

23. A catheter as claimed in claim 1, comprising a gripper element, wherein the funnel is coupled to the sleeve at a first end of the sleeve, with the gripper element coupled at an opposing end of the sleeve.

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0044] In order that the invention may be more clearly understood one or more embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0045] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a catheter in accordance with the invention;

[0046] FIG. 2 corresponds to section ‘A’ of FIG. 1, and shows a cross-sectional view of a funnel forming part of the catheter of FIG. 1;

[0047] FIGS. 3A and 3B are side cross-sectional views of the funnel of FIG. 2, illustrating the operational use of the catheter of FIG. 1;

[0048] FIGS. 4A and 4B are top cross-sectional views of the funnel of FIG. 2, again illustrating the operational use of the catheter of FIG. 1; and

[0049] FIGS. 5A and 5B are side-cross sectional views of a funnel forming part of a second embodiment of a catheter in accordance with the invention.

[0050] In general, the present invention relates to a catheter 10, 10′ which includes a wetting mechanism 20, 20′ for wetting an outer surface of a catheter tube 12, 12′.

[0051] FIGS. 1-4B illustrate a first embodiment of a catheter 10 of the invention. The catheter 10 comprises a catheter tube 12, funnel 16 and gripper element 32. A sleeve 18 is provided between the funnel 16 and gripper element 32, enclosing the catheter tube 12 between the funnel 16 and the gripper element 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve is formed of a film of flexible material and is coupled at a first end to the funnel 16 and at a second end to the gripper element 32. In this way, the sleeve 18 defines an internal volume about the catheter tube 12 into which fluid may be introduced to wet the outer surface of the catheter tube 12.

[0052] As will be appreciated, the catheter tube 12 may be moved through the gripper element 32, in use, to expose the catheter tube 12 for use by the user. Further, whilst the catheter 10 is shown in FIG. 1 with the tip of the catheter tube 12 exposed it will be appreciated that the catheter tube 12 may, at least initially, be provided within the volume defined by the sleeve 18, or at least within the gripper element 32, to enable the tip of the catheter tube 12 to be wetted using the wetting mechanism 20 before being subsequently pushed through the gripper element 32 to expose the catheter tube 12 for use.

[0053] The catheter tube 12 has a tip end 13 and a distal end 14. The tip end 13 includes a tip for insertion of the catheter tube 12 into a canal, vessel, passageway, body cavity, etc. for removal of fluid therefrom. Here, the catheter 10 comprises a urinary catheter 10 with the tip configured for insertion into a patient's bladder. The tip end 13 of the catheter tube includes apertures (not shown) therein for allowing for fluid to enter the interior of the catheter tube 12. The distal end 14 of the catheter tube 12 is integrally formed within the funnel 16. Specifically, the distal end 14 of the catheter tube 12 is fixed within the funnel 16 (e.g. through suitable bonding, adhesive, or perhaps moulded together, or the like) and includes an outlet 28 which serves as an outlet for discharging fluid from within the catheter tube 12.

[0054] A wetting mechanism 20 is provided which is integrally formed with the funnel 16. The wetting mechanism 20 is provided for supplying a wetting fluid 24 onto an exterior surface of the catheter tube 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the wetting mechanism 20 comprises a holding chamber 22 which includes a volume of fluid 24 contained therein. Specifically, the fluid is contained within a container in the form of a sachet 25. As will be described in detail herein, fluid 24 may be released from said sachet 25, in use, for wetting the exterior surface of the catheter tube 12. To allow for this, the wetting mechanism 20 includes a fluid outlet 26 operable to allow fluid from within the holding chamber 22 to be released within the sleeve 18.

[0055] As shown, the wetting mechanism 20 and the outlet 28 are provided in a side-by-side arrangement within the funnel 16. Specifically, the funnel comprises a series of walls including an external wall 30 and an internal wall 31 which define the holding chamber 22 of the wetting mechanism 20 on a first side of the internal wall 31. The holding chamber 22 is enclosed on three sides by the external and internal walls 30, 31, with an opening provided on a fourth side (a lower side in the orientation shown in the drawings, opposite to the outlet 28 for discharging fluid from the catheter tube 12, which is the upper side in the orientation shown in the drawings) acting as the fluid outlet 26 of the wetting mechanism 20. The catheter tube 12 is positioned on the opposing side of the internal wall 31 to the holding chamber 20 within a bore through the funnel 16 defined by the external and internal walls 30, 31.

[0056] As shown, the funnel 16 comprises a substantially triangular profile, with the outlet 28 of the catheter tube 12 positioned at a first apex and the holding chamber 22 extending between the other apices of the funnel (see FIGS. 4A and 4B). In this way, the walls 30, 31 of the funnel 16 define the holding chamber 22 with an exterior surface of the funnel 16 adjacent to the holding chamber 22. Here, the exterior surface defines an interaction region 32 upon which a user may act to cause release of the wetting fluid 24 through the fluid outlet 26 as described herein. The interaction region 32 is formed of a flexible material which may depress upon application of a force by a user—i.e. upon a user squeezing the funnel 16. The remaining walls of the funnel 16 are formed of a rigid material which, along with the catheter tube 12, provide structural support for the funnel 16, and ensures the funnel 16 as a whole does not collapse upon squeezing of the funnel 16 by the user.

[0057] FIGS. 3A-4B illustrate the operational use of catheter 10, and specifically how wetting mechanism 20 may be used to wet an outer surface of the catheter tube 12.

[0058] FIGS. 3A and 4A illustrate the catheter 10 prior to activation of the wetting mechanism 20, specifically with sachet 25 intact and the wetting fluid 24 contained therein. In order to activate the wetting mechanism 20, a user must squeeze the funnel 16 to provide an external force on the interaction region 32. This in turn causes the flexible interaction region 32 to depress and contact the sachet 25 within the holding chamber 22 (as shown in FIGS. 3B and 4B). The sachet 25 is in turn compressed within the holding chamber 22 causing it to rupture allowing wetting fluid 24 to escape and be released from within the holding chamber 22 through fluid outlet 26. As described herein, the fluid outlet 26 comprises an opening within the funnel 16 and therefore fluid released from the sachet 25 is able to flow through the fluid outlet 26 freely. As shown, the fluid 24 is released into the volume defined by the sleeve 18 about the exterior surface of the catheter tube 12 and is contained therein for wetting the catheter tube 12 for use.

[0059] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a second embodiment of a catheter according to the invention. Unless otherwise described herein, the catheter is configured in substantially the same way as catheter 10 shown in the preceding Figures. Like reference numerals have been used to identify equivalent components of the catheters 10, .

[0060] Catheter 10′ differs in the configuration of the wetting mechanism . Specifically, wetting mechanism has the wetting fluid contained within the holding chamber itself rather than within a separate container. In addition, the fluid outlet of the wetting mechanism 20′ takes the form of a valve which may open and close in use to allow or restrict flow of the wetting fluid from the holding chamber .

[0061] In use, the wetting mechanism is provided in the configuration shown in FIG. 5A, with the valve closed and the wetting fluid held within the holding chamber . In order to activate the wetting mechanism , a user must squeeze the funnel to provide an external force on the interaction region . This in turn causes the flexible interaction region to depress, reducing the volume of the holding chamber (as shown in FIG. 5B). This reduction in volume (and the associated increase in pressure) causes the valve to open allowing the wetting fluid to flow therethrough. As with catheter 10, the fluid is released into the volume defined by the sleeve about the exterior surface of the catheter tube and is contained therein for wetting the catheter tube for use. Upon removal of the external force applied to the interaction region , the flexible interaction region moves back to the configuration shown in FIG. 5A, thereby increasing the volume of the holding chamber and in turn closing the valve 26′.

[0062] In a variant of catheter , the valve may be replaced with a frangible portion of the funnel which may rupture upon an increase in pressure within the holding chamber (i.e. upon squeezing of the funnel by the user). Rupturing of the frangible portion results in a permanent opening within the holding chamber allowing the wetting fluid to flow freely into the sleeve . Advantageously, in this scenario a user may not have to maintain the applied force to release all of the wetting fluid , but instead simply squeezes the funnel once to rupture the frangible portion.

[0063] Conditional language, such as “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

[0064] Each of the documents referred to above is incorporated herein by reference. Except in Examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numerical quantities in this description specifying amounts of materials, device dimension, and the like, are to be understood as modified by the word “about.”

[0065] Unless otherwise indicated, each chemical or composition referred to herein should be interpreted as being a commercial grade material which may contain the isomers, by-products, derivatives, and other such materials which are normally understood to be present in the commercial grade.

[0066] The one or more embodiments are described above by way of example only.

[0067] Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of protection afforded by the appended claims.