Patent ID: 6358229
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A urethral drain apparatus, comprising:an elongated, flexible, tubular drain body member having a proximal end, a closed distal end and a lumen extending therebetween, the tubular drain body member having an outer diameter adapted for passage through a patient's urethra and of a length such that placement of a distal end portion into the patient's urinary bladder will leave a proximal end portion extending beyond the urethral meatus, the distal end portion of the tubular drain body member being preformed so that when unconstrained it forms a bladder retention coil lying in a plane extending at a perpendicular angle to a longitudinal axis of the tubular drain body member, the distal end portion further including at least one aperture extending from a peripheral surface of the tubular drain body member to the lumen through which urine may flow; and a unitary tubular stiffening device insertable into the lumen of the elongated, flexible tubular drain body member and being sufficiently rigid to render the bladder retention coil rectilinear to facilitate insertion of the tubular drain body member into the patient's urethra, the tubular stiffening device having an effective length less than the length of the tubular drain body member and an open distal end and an unobstructed internal lumen for permitting urine flow therethrough as a signal to provide an indication when the distal end portion of the tubular drain body member has been inserted into the patient's urinary bladder, removal of the tubular stiffening device from the lumen of the tubular drain body member following receipt of said signal allowing the distal end portion of the tubular drain body member to reform the bladder retention coil.