Catheter grip and method

1. A grip designed for sliding movement over a urinary catheter shaft, comprising:

a body designed to surround the urinary catheter shaft, the body including a proximal end, a distal end, and a gripping area between the proximal end and the distal end, the gripping area designed to contact the urinary catheter shaft upon the application of force to the gripping area;

a first flare increasing in cross-sectional area from the gripping area to the proximal end, the proximal end having a first diameter; and

a second flare increasing in cross-sectional area from the gripping area to the distal end, the distal end having a second diameter,

wherein at least one of the first diameter and the second diameter is a largest diameter of the grip.

2. The grip according to claim 1 , further comprising a texture on at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface of the grip.

3. The grip according to claim 2 , wherein the texture is selected from the group consisting of raised ribs, pebbling, roughening, and a combination thereof.

4. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the body is generally tubular.

5. The grip according to claim 4 , wherein the first diameter is approximately the same as the second diameter.

6. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the body forms a curved outer surface from the proximal end to the distal end.

7. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the first flare and the second flare meet at the gripping area to provide a pinch point designed to contact the urinary catheter shaft.

8. The grip according to claim 1 , wherein the gripping area is located in a middle of the body.

9. A urinary catheter system, comprising:

a urinary catheter; and

a grip designed for sliding movement over the urinary catheter, the grip comprising:

a body designed to surround the urinary catheter, the body including a proximal end, a distal end, and a gripping area between the proximal end and the distal end, wherein:

the gripping area is designed to contact the urinary catheter upon the application of force to the gripping area, and

the body of the grip forms a curved outer surface from the proximal end of the body to the distal end of the body;

a first flare increasing in cross-sectional area from the gripping area to the proximal end; and

a second flare increasing in cross-sectional area from the gripping area to the distal end.

10. The urinary catheter system according to claim 9 , wherein the grip further comprises a texture on at least one of an inner surface and an outer surface.

11. The urinary catheter system according to claim 10 , wherein the texture is selected from the group consisting of raised ribs, pebbling, roughening, and a combination thereof.

12. The urinary catheter system according to claim 9 , further comprising a package containing the urinary catheter and the grip, wherein the grip is pre-disposed on a shaft of the urinary catheter.

13. The urinary catheter system according to claim 12 , further comprising a packet of catheter wetting fluid contained in the package.

14. The urinary catheter system according to claim 13 , wherein the urinary catheter is a hydrophilic urinary catheter.

15. The urinary catheter system according to claim 9 , wherein the body is generally tubular, and wherein the proximal end has a first diameter and the distal end has a second diameter.

16. The urinary catheter system according to claim 15 , wherein the first diameter is approximately the same as the second diameter.

17. The urinary catheter system according to claim 16 , wherein the gripping area is located in a middle of the body.

18. The urinary catheter system according to claim 12 , wherein the first flare and the second flare meet at the gripping area to provide a pinch point designed to contact the urinary catheter shaft.

19. The urinary catheter system according to claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first diameter and the second diameter is a largest diameter of the grip.