Ureteral catheter connector adapter

The present invention is a ureteral catheter-foley catheter connector adapter for connecting ureteral catheters to a foley catheter-foley collection bag arrangement. It includes a main body having a top and a bottom and a first hollow orifice located therein with an inlet at the top and an outlet at the bottom of the main body. The main body has at least one shoulder extending outwardly therefrom, and each shoulder has at least one orifice therein forming a shoulder inlet. The shoulder orifices are connected to the first hollow orifice of the main body. The shoulder inlets include connecting mechanisms for fixedly connecting the shoulder inlets to ureteral catheters. These may be tapered walls for force-fitting the ureteral catheter distal ends, O-ring fittings, flexible neck portions of the shoulder inlets or other mechanisms. The present invention is also directed to a system which includes at least one ureteral catheter, a foley catheter, a foley collection bag and the connector adapter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention is directed to a connector adapter for 
interconnecting a foley catheter or other type of catheter with ureteral 
catheters so that they may drain into the same drainage bag. More 
specifically, the present invention involves an adapter which has 
shoulders with inlets for ureteral catheters which have means for 
connecting the ureteral catheters to the adapter. 
2. Information Disclosure Statement 
Various catheter connectors have been developed and the following prior art 
is representative of the state of the art: 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,775 is directed to a ureteral catheter-foley catheter 
connector adapter for connecting ureteral catheters to a foley 
catheter-foley collection bag arrangement. It includes a main body having 
a top and a bottom and having a first hollow orifice located therein with 
an inlet at the top of the main body and an outlet at the bottom of the 
main body. The main body has at least one shoulder extending outwardly 
therefrom, and each shoulder has at least one orifice therein forming a 
shoulder inlet. Each of the shoulder orifices are connected to the first 
hollow orifice of the main body. The shoulder inlets include connecting 
mechanisms for fixedly connecting the shoulder inlets to ureteral 
catheters. These may be tapered walls for force-fitting the ureteral 
catheter distal ends, O-ring fittings, flexible neck portions of the 
shoulder inlets or other mechanisms. 
The present invention is also directed to a system which includes at least 
one ureteral catheter, a foley catheter, a foley collection bag and the 
connector adapter. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,631 is directed to a system which includes at least one 
ureteral ureteral catheter-foley catheter connector catheter, a foley 
catheter, a foley collection adapter for connecting ureteral bag and the 
connector adapter. catheters to a foley catheter-foley collection bag 
arrangement. It includes a main body having a top and a bottom and having 
a first hollow orifice located therein with an inlet at the top of the 
main body and an outlet at the bottom of the main body. The main body has 
at least one shoulder extending outwardly therefrom, and each shoulder has 
at least one orifice therein forming a shoulder inlet. Each of the 
shoulder orifices are connected to the first hollow orifice of the main 
body. The shoulder inlets include connecting mechanisms for fixedly 
connecting the shoulder inlets to ureteral catheters. These may be tapered 
walls for force-fitting the ureteral catheter distal ends, O-ring 
fittings, flexible neck portions of the shoulder inlets or other 
mechanisms. 
The present invention is also directed to a system which includes at least 
one ureteral catheter, a foley catheter, a foley collection bag and the 
connector adapter. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,110 is directed to a ureteral catheter-foley catheter 
connector adapter for connecting ureteral catheters to a foley 
catheter-foley collection bag arrangement. It includes a main body having 
a top and a bottom and having a first hollow orifice located therein with 
an inlet at the top of the main body and an outlet at the bottom of the 
main body. The main body has at least one shoulder extending outwardly 
therefrom, and each shoulder has at least one orifice therein forming a 
shoulder inlet. Each of the shoulder orifices are connected to the first 
hollow orifice of the main body. The shoulder inlets include connecting 
mechanisms for fixedly connecting the shoulder inlets to ureteral 
catheters. These may be tapered walls for force-fitting the ureteral 
catheter distal ends, O-ring fittings, flexible neck portions of the 
shoulder inlets or other mechanisms. 
The present invention is also directed to a system which includes at least 
one ureteral catheter, a foley catheter, a foley collection bag and the 
connector adapter. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,395 is directed to a ureteral catheter-foley catheter 
connector adapter for connecting ureteral catheters to a foley 
catheter-foley collection bag arrangement. It includes a main body having 
a top and a bottom and having a first hollow orifice located therein with 
an inlet at the top of the main body and an outlet at the bottom of the 
main body. The main body has at least one shoulder extending outwardly 
therefrom, and each shoulder has at least one orifice therein forming a 
shoulder inlet. Each of the shoulder orifices are connected to the first 
hollow orifice of the main body. The shoulder inlets include connecting 
mechanisms for fixedly connecting the shoulder inlets to ureteral 
catheters. These may be tapered walls for force-fitting the ureteral 
catheter distal ends, O-ring fittings, flexible neck portions of the 
shoulder inlets or other mechanisms. 
The present invention is also directed to a system which includes at least 
one ureteral catheter, a foley catheter, a foley collection bag and the 
connector adapter. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,902 is directed to a ureteral catheter-foley catheter 
connector adapter for connecting ureteral catheters to a foley 
catheter-foley collection bag arrangement. It includes a main body having 
a top and a bottom and having a first hollow orifice located therein with 
an inlet at the top of the main body and an outlet at the bottom of the 
main body. The main body has at least one shoulder extending outwardly 
therefrom, and each shoulder has at least one orifice therein forming a 
shoulder inlet. Each of the shoulder orifices are connected to the first 
hollow orifice of the main body. The shoulder inlets include connecting 
mechanisms for fixedly connecting the shoulder inlets to ureteral 
catheters. These may be tapered walls for force-fitting the ureteral 
catheter distal ends, O-ring fittings, flexible neck portions of the 
shoulder inlets or other mechanisms. 
The present invention is also directed to a system which includes at least 
one ureteral catheter, a foley catheter, a foley collection bag and the 
connector adapter. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,637 is directed to a ureteral catheter-foley catheter 
connector adapter for connecting ureteral catheters to a foley 
catheter-foley collection bag arrangement. It includes a main body having 
a top and a bottom and having a first hollow orifice located therein with 
an inlet at the top of the main body and an outlet at the bottom of the 
main body. The main body has at least one shoulder extending outwardly 
therefrom, and each shoulder has at least one orifice therein forming a 
shoulder inlet. Each of the shoulder orifices are connected to the first 
hollow orifice of the main body. The shoulder inlets include connecting 
mechanisms for fixedly connecting the shoulder inlets to ureteral 
catheters. These may be tapered walls for force-fitting the ureteral 
catheter distal ends, O-ring fittings, flexible neck portions of the 
shoulder inlets or other mechanisms. 
The present invention is also directed to a system which includes at least 
one ureteral catheter, a foley catheter, a foley collection bag and the 
connector adapter. 
Notwithstanding the formidable prior art, there is no device or system 
which suggests or renders obvious the present invention. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a ureteral catheter-foley catheter 
connector adapter for connecting ureteral catheters to a foley 
catheter-foley collection bag arrangement. It includes a main body having 
a top and a bottom and having a first hollow orifice located therein with 
an inlet at the top of the main body and an outlet at the bottom of the 
main body. The main body has at least one shoulder extending outwardly 
therefrom, and each shoulder has at least one orifice therein forming a 
shoulder inlet. Each of the shoulder orifices are connected to the first 
hollow orifice of the main body. The shoulder inlets include connecting 
mechanisms for fixedly connecting the shoulder inlets to ureteral 
catheters. These may be tapered walls for force-fitting the ureteral 
catheter distal ends, O-ring fittings, flexible neck portions of the 
shoulder inlets or other mechanisms. 
The present invention is also directed to a system which includes at least 
one ureteral catheter, a foley catheter, a foley collection bag and the 
connector adapter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
During the course of various intraoperative procedures, the urologist may 
be called upon to assist general surgeons or other specialists for the 
placement of ureteral catheters in the ureters for their easier 
identification during difficult abdominal or pelvic surgery. Once these 
are in place, a foley catheter is inserted into the bladder for fixation 
of the ureteral catheters so that they do not migrate out. These can be 
placed in separate urinary collection devices, or, more commonly, may be 
placed through the foley catheter wall slightly above its connection to 
the foley bag tubing. This is usually done by perforating the foley 
catheter wall at its neck with a number 14 or number 16 needle and sheath. 
The ureteral catheter is guided through the sheath and together are pulled 
through the lumen of the foley catheter. This can be time consuming and an 
inadvertent puncture from the needles is always a possibility. 
Additionally, there is frequent leakage around the puncture sights. 
In response to the aforesaid problems, the present invention ureteral 
catheter connector adapter has been developed so as to be a simple device 
which is interposed between the foley and the foley bag tubing connector. 
Its general shape consists of a firm, male tapered connector at the 
proximal end for connection to the foley catheter female and/or distal end 
and a softer, funnel-like distal end to adapt to connection with the foley 
bag tubing connector. In the central portion or main body of the present 
invention connector adapter, there is at least one shoulder upon which 
there are orifices which may take the form of inverted nipples for the 
insertion of the ureteral catheter ends. By this technique, retention is 
assured by using thicker wall and narrow lumen at the insertion end of the 
nipple. Leak resistance is more a result of the thinner elastic walled 
distal end is some embodiments. The ureteral catheter connector adapter of 
the present invention is a unique device which can simplify ureteral 
catheter connections to the foley bag tubing, offering safety and the 
economy of intraoperative time. 
A critical feature of the present invention connector adapters is the need 
for means of connecting the ureteral catheters to the adapter connectors 
and these means or mechanisms may take the form of O-rings, tapered 
inlets, flexible inverted nipples, graded diameter ridges or otherwise. 
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a front view of a ureteral 
catheter-foley catheter-connector adapter-system of the present invention. 
This includes adapter 1, foley catheter 21, drainage bag connection tubing 
31 and drainage bag 37. More specifically, connector adapter 1 includes a 
main body 3 as well as an inlet 5 and an outlet 9. Shoulder 7 includes two 
orifices forming Shoulder inlets such as shoulder inlet 11. Each of these 
shoulder inlets connect to a first hollow orifice (not shown) of main body 
3. Foley catheter 21 includes a main line section 23 which is shown in 
part and may connect to a balloon and has an access port connected to 
elbow 27. Distal end 25 of foley catheter 21 is connected to inlet 5 as 
shown. Ureteral catheters 13 and 15 are connected to the shoulder orifices 
such as shoulder orifice 11 and another shoulder orifice opposite thereof 
(not shown). At the bottom of main body 3, at outlet 9, drainage bag 37 
has a tube 31 which is connected to outlet 9 at tube end 33 and connected 
at opposite tube end 35 to drainage bag 37. 
FIG. 2 shows a front cut view of connector adapter 1 shown in FIG. 1. 
Identical parts are identically numbered. Note that there is a first 
hollow orifice 41 which extends from opening 43 at inlet 5 all the way 
down to opening 45 at outlet 9. Note that shoulder orifices 11 and 17 are 
shown to be tapered to enable ureteral catheters to be force-fitted 
therein and to enable that device to receive ureteral catheters of 
different size diameters. Note that all parts identical to those shown in 
FIG. 1 are identically numbered in FIG. 2. 
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 collectively show an oblique view, a front cut view, and a 
partial cut blown-up view of present invention connector adapter 51. Here 
there is a shoulder 57 as well as additional shoulders 54 and 55 formed as 
part of main body 53 with inlet 59 and outlet 61. In FIG. 4 there is shown 
an inverted nipple 71 at shoulder 55 and an inverted nipple 73 at shoulder 
54. These are flexible and tapered and are illustrated by the blow-up of 
the right side of FIG. 4 shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 4 shows a first hollow 
orifice 63 extending from inlet 59 to outlet 61 with second and third 
hollow orifices 65 and 67 which respectively extend from inverted nipples 
71 and 73 respectively. 
As shown in FIG. 5, the inlet 59 has opening 81 for fluids from the foley 
catheter to drain down into it. Shoulder 54 with flexible nipple 73 has an 
orifice 83 with an internal outlet 85 for drainage into second hollow 
orifice 65 as shown in FIG. 4. By the walls of inverted nipple 73 being 
flexible and stretchable, a ureteral catheter can be easily pushed in but 
not so easily removed from inverted nipple 73 and this will secure the 
ureteral catheter to avoid both leakage and inadvertent removal during 
surgery. 
FIG. 6 shows yet another embodiment of the present invention connector 
adapters, here adapter 91 includes a main body 93 with a collar 97 and 
shoulder 89 and a second shoulder 95. This includes two shoulder orifices 
such as shoulder orifice 103 which contains O-ring fitting 99 for grasping 
an inserted ureteral catheter. Likewise, O-ring 105 at shoulder orifice 
107 will function similarly. The O-ring fittings 99 and 105 may be 
torroidal rubber-like insertions which both aid to secure inserted 
ureteral catheters as well as to minimize leakage. Outlet 103 would be 
connected to tubing to a drainage bag as desired. 
FIG. 7 shows a partial front cut view of one shoulder 109 of a present 
invention adapter 111 and has inverted nipple 113 with a variety of step 
down diameter cuts beginning with largest cut 115 through intermediate 
cuts 117 and 119 and smallest cut 129. These will be used to secure 
various sizes of ureteral catheters and will enable adapter 111 to be 
utilized as a universal device. Note that ridges such as ridge 123 will 
act to aid in the forced-fitting securement of an inserted ureteral 
catheter. 
Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention 
are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the present 
invention adapter is generally shown as having a single structure for the 
main body. However, this may be molded in two or more pieces and 
permanently assembled without exceeding the scope of the present 
invention. In fact, in some preferred embodiments, the main body may be 
made of a two-piece assembly with the upper half, which connects to the 
foley catheter, being made of hard plastic or rubber and the lower half 
being made of softer plastic or rubber to accommodate a drainage bag 
assembly. It is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended 
claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically 
described herein.