Urinary catheter with porous tip region
A urinary catheter ( 10, 110 ) having a porous tip region ( 26, 22 a, 22 b, 22 c, 126 ).
1 . A urinary catheter, comprising:
a catheter shaft having a proximal insertion end portion, a distal end portion, and a drainage lumen; and
the proximal insertion end portion including a tip region, wherein at least a section of the tip region comprises an open-cell porous structure having interconnected pores that extend from an outer surface of the tip region to an inner surface of the tip region and that are in fluid communication with the drainage lumen, such that urine drains from a bladder through the open-cell porous structure and into the drainage lumen.
2 . The urinary catheter of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell porous structure defines a terminal proximal tip of the catheter shaft.
3 . The urinary catheter of claim 2 , wherein the terminal proximal tip defined by the open-cell porous structure includes a central opening that is coaxial and in fluid communication with the drainage lumen of the catheter shaft.
4 . The urinary catheter of claim 2 , wherein the terminal proximal tip defined by the open-cell porous structure has a generally torus or toroidal shape.
5 . The urinary catheter of claim 2 , wherein the terminal proximal tip defined by the open-cell porous structure has a cross-sectional profile in a plane parallel to a longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft, wherein the cross-sectional profile has a polygonal shape.
6 . The urinary catheter of claim 5 , wherein the polygonal shape of the cross-sectional profile is trapezoidal.
7 . The urinary catheter of claim 2 , wherein the terminal proximal tip includes a base and a top, wherein a widest dimension of the base is wider than a widest dimension of the top.
8 . The urinary catheter of claim 2 , wherein the terminal proximal tip includes a base and a top, wherein a widest dimension of the top is wider than a widest dimension of the base.
9 . The urinary catheter of claim 2 , wherein the terminal proximal tip defined by the open-cell porous structure has a cross-sectional profile in a plane parallel to a longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft, wherein cross-sectional profile has a stilted arch shape.
10 . The urinary catheter of claim 2 , wherein the terminal proximal tip of the catheter shaft has a cross-sectional dimension in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft that is larger than a diameter of a remaining portion of the catheter shaft.
11 . The urinary catheter of claim 2 , wherein the terminal proximal tip of the catheter shaft has a portion that extends in a radial direction beyond an outer surface of an immediately adjacent segment of the catheter shaft.
12 . The urinary catheter of claim 1 , wherein the tip region includes a terminal proximal tip.
13 . The urinary catheter of claim 12 , wherein the terminal proximal tip is closed.
14 . The urinary catheter of claim 12 , wherein the open-cell porous structure extends distally from the terminal proximal tip.
15 . The urinary catheter of claim 12 , wherein the open-cell porous structure is spaced about 1 mm to about 40 mm from the terminal proximal tip.
16 . The urinary catheter of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell porous structure has a length perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft, wherein the length is between about 3 mm and about 5 mm.
17 . The urinary catheter of claim 1 , wherein in the open-cell porous structure extends circumferentially around the catheter shaft.
18 . The urinary catheter of claim 1 , wherein the proximal insertion end portion does not include discrete drainage eyes that extend through a wall of the catheter shaft.
19 . The urinary catheter of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell porous structure comprises a foamed polymer.
20 . The urinary catheter of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell porous structure comprises a sintered polymer particles.
21 . The urinary catheter of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell porous structure comprising cells having a size between 10 um and 100 um.
22 . The urinary catheter of claim 1 , wherein the open-cell porous structure is deformable, compressible and/or flexible.