IP Library Granted Patent US 12,636,464
Granted Patent B2
US 12,636,464 · App. 16/926,578 · Granted May 26, 2026

Pistoning prevention system (PPS) of indwelling Foley catheters

Inventor: John Bradley Warden (Chickasha, OK)
A61M25/0017A61M25/0012A61M25/0043A61M25/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,636,464
App. No.
16/926,578
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A pistoning prevention system (PPS) that will improve catheter associated urinary tract infection rates of an indwelling Foley catheter while maintaining reliability, comfort, & safety. With the PPS incorporated within a Foley catheter during manufacturing it will eliminate the excess stretch along a specific length of a Foley catheter that resides within the patient's urethra. The excessive amount and ease of stretch is responsible for the pistoning action of an indwelling Foley catheter moving in and out of the urethra. This action is responsible for the retrograde movement of bacteria outside the body & into the urethra, bladder, & kidneys increasing preventable infections. With much prevention work globally, the pistoning action of a Foley catheter is now known to be partially or wholly to blame for the attributed $340 million spent in the U.S. on healthcare costs & 13,000 associated deaths making this an immediate global patient safety emergency.

Claims (67)

1 . A device to be placed in an indwelling Foley catheter, the device comprising

a cord body;

a first anchoring eyelet attached to a first end of the cord body;

a second anchoring eyelet attached to a second end of the cord body; and

an additional anchoring eyelet attached to a middle portion of the cord body;

wherein the second end of the cord body is opposite to the first end of the cord body.

2 . The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cord body, the first anchoring eyelet, and the second anchoring eyelet are made of a same flexible non-stretch material.

3 . The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cord body, the first anchoring eyelet, and the second anchoring eyelet are made from braided polymers.

4 . The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the device is adapted to be placed within a rubber mold of the Foley catheter during manufacture.

5 . The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the indwelling Foley catheter comprises

a balloon port; and

a balloon inflated through the balloon port;

wherein the balloon keeps the indwelling Foley catheter in place;

wherein an entirety of the first anchoring eyelet is positioned on a first side of the balloon;

wherein a majority portion of the second anchoring eyelet is positioned on a second side of the balloon; and

wherein the second side is opposite to the first side.

6 . The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cord body, the first anchoring eyelet, and the second anchoring eyelet are made from silk, polymer, silicone, polyurethane, plastic, polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, or laminated fibrous materials.

7 . The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the indwelling Foley catheter further comprises:

a non-expanding material below a balloon;

wherein the cord body of the device runs through the non-expanding material of the indwelling Foley catheter.

8 . The device as recited in claim 7 , wherein the indwelling Foley catheter comprises

a balloon port; and

a balloon inflated through the balloon port;

wherein the balloon keeps the indwelling Foley catheter in place;

wherein a centroid of the first anchoring eyelet is positioned on a first side of the balloon;

wherein a centroid of the second anchoring eyelet is positioned on a second side of the balloon; and

wherein the second side is opposite to the first side.

9 . The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein a length of the cord body is shorter than a distance between a centroid of the first anchoring eyelet and a centroid of the second anchoring eyelet.

10 . The device as recited in claim 9 , wherein the first end of the cord body is directly attached to an exterior end of the first anchoring eyelet; and

wherein the second end of the cord body is directly attached to an exterior end of the second anchoring eyelet.

11 . The device as recited in claim 10 ,

wherein the additional anchoring eyelet comprises a through hole; and

wherein the cord body divides the through hole of the additional anchoring eyelet into an upper portion and a lower portion opposite the upper portion.

12 . The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the indwelling Foley catheter comprises

a balloon port; and

a balloon inflated through the balloon port;

wherein the balloon keeps the indwelling Foley catheter in place;

wherein the first anchoring eyelet is positioned on a first side of the balloon;

wherein the second anchoring eyelet is positioned on a second side of the balloon; and

wherein the second side is opposite to the first side.

13 . The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cord body, the first anchoring eyelet, and the second anchoring eyelet are made of a same flexible non-stretch material; and wherein the cord body, the first anchoring eyelet, and the second anchoring eyelet are made from braided polymers.

14 . A device to be placed in an indwelling Foley catheter, the device comprising

a cord body;

a first anchoring eyelet attached to a first end of the cord body; and

a second anchoring eyelet attached to a second end of the cord body;

wherein the second end of the cord body is opposite to the first end of the cord body;

wherein the first anchoring eyelet comprises

a through hole having an axis;

wherein the second anchoring eyelet comprises

a through hole having an axis;

wherein the axis of the through hole of the first anchoring eyelet is perpendicular to a length of the cord body; and

wherein the axis of the through hole of the second anchoring eyelet is perpendicular to the length of the cord body.

15 . The device as recited in claim 14 further comprising an additional anchoring eyelet attached to a middle portion of the cord body;

wherein the additional anchoring eyelet comprises a through hole; and

wherein the cord body divides the through hole of the additional anchoring eyelet into an upper portion and a lower portion opposite the upper portion.

16 . A device to be placed in a catheter, the device comprising

a cord body;

a first eyelet attached to a first end of the cord body; and

a second eyelet attached to a second end of the cord body;

wherein the second end of the cord body is opposite to the first end of the cord body;

wherein a length of the cord body is shorter than a distance between a centroid of the first eyelet and a centroid of the second eyelet;

wherein the first eyelet comprises a through hole; and

wherein the second eyelet comprises a through hole.

17 . The device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the through hole of the first eyelet is a straight through hole extending from a first side of the first eyelet to a second side of the first eyelet opposite the first side of the first eyelet; and

wherein the through hole of the second eyelet is a straight through hole extending from a first side of the second eyelet to a second side of the second eyelet opposite the first side of the second eyelet.

18 . The device as recited in claim 16 , wherein the first end of the cord body is directly attached to an exterior end of the first eyelet; and

wherein the second end of the cord body is directly attached to an exterior end of the second eyelet.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2023
From: WARDEN, JOHN BRADLEY
To: WARDEN, JOHN BRADLEY; LIN, CHEN-CHI
Reel/Frame 065656/0402 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62873085 · Jul 11, 2019
Related Publication 20210008337A1 · Jan 14, 2021
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