Patent ID: 6994667
Filing Date: 2006-02-07
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A urethral intubation apparatus for urethral placement into the bladder of a human or animal comprising, a urinary catheter formed from a flexible biocompatible polymeric material and having a central lumen extending the length thereof, said catheter having an opening centered at the distal end thereof in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the catheter and communicating with the lumen, a viewing instrument including a flexible direct vision illumination and viewing cable with a generally dome-shaped distal end that is constructed and arranged to have a sliding fit within the lumen of the catheter when mounted therein, an objective viewing port at a distal end of the cable for viewing the urethra when the distal end thereof is proximate the opening at the end of the catheter in an operating position to provide viewing through the catheter, at least one element within the cable for transmitting light through the cable to the distal end thereof to illuminate the inside of the urethra, the catheter is devoid of a shoulder stop at the distal end thereof so as to enable the distal end of the viewing instrument to extend beyond the opening for allowing a) viewing while inserting the catheter into the urethra and b) the dome-shaped end of the viewing instrument forming a contoured surface for contact with the urethra to facilitate the insertion of the catheter into the urethra, a viewer operatively associated with the viewing port for allowing observation of an image transmitted from the viewing port to enable the urethra ahead of the catheter to be seen while the catheter is being inserted into the urethra.