URINE COLLECTING DEVICE

Abstract: A device for incontinent male patients comprises an external catheter (1), a urine receptacle (4) and a flexible tube (3) connecting the catheter to the receptacle, in which the catheter comprises a thin flexible cylindrical (5) portion and, connected thereto, a generally conical portion (6) which is stiffer than the cylindrical portion and which terminates in a discharge opening, the centre line of the cylindrical portion of the catheter forming an angle with the centre line of the conical portion.

Description: Urine collecting device This invention is concerned -with a urine collecting device for incontinent male patients and, more particularly, though not exclusively, with a device of this kind which is suitable for ambulant and non-hospitalized patients. Urine collecting devices are known, or have been described which comprise an external catheter, a urine receptacle and a flexible tube connecting the catheter to the receptacle. Such devices normally incorporate a non-return valve between the catheter and the receptacle. The external catheters of such devices are not entirely satisfactory from the point of view of patient comfort and obtrusiveness under the patient's clothing. I have now developed a urine collecting device of this type which includes a novel form of catheter and, in preferred embodiments of the device, other features which considerably increase the comfort of the user and reduce the obtrusiveness of the device under the user's clothing. According to the present invention, there is provided a device for collecting urine from inconti¬ nent male patients, which comprises an external cathete a urine receptacle and a flexible tube connecting the catheter to the receptacle, in which the catheter comprises a thin flexible cylindrical portion and, connected thereto, a generally conical portion which is stiffer than the cylindrical portion and which terminates in a discharge opening, the centre line of the cylindrical portion of the catheter forming an angle with the centre line of the conical position. The generally conical portion of the catheter need not necessarily taper towards the discharge opening in a straight line and the taper may be generally rounded. This portion of the catheter should be positioned, in use, so as to accommodate the glans of the user ' s penis and its relative stiffness or rigidity and its dimensions are such that the walls of this portion are normally spaced from the surface of the glans. The angling of this portion with respect to the cylindrical portion of the catheter ensures better flow of urine to the discharge opening when the user is lying down and thus ireduces the likelihood of contact between urine and the penis which can lead to irritation.. This feature also reduces the obtrusiveness of the device under the user's clothing. The device preferably further comprises a lining adapted to be applied to the penis of the patient and to secure the cylindrical .portion of the catheter thereto, the lining being in the form of a strip having a length and width such that when wound helically on the penis it extends the greater part of the length of the cylindrical portion. The lining is preferably formed of a textile material having some elasticity. The lining strip is preferably coated with a non- irritant adhesive on both sides , but , in order to reduce irritation to the user, particularly when such a device has to be used for long periods , it is preferred that at least one surface of the lining strip should be free of adhesive over an area extending from one end of the strip and/or that the adhesive coating on at least one surface of the strip should be non-continuous. Further features and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings', in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view, partly in section, of an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a lining strip, and Fig. 3 is a. diagrammatic axial section of another embodiment of the catheter. The device shown in Fig. 1 comprises a catheter 1, the discharge opening of which is connected to -non-retum valve 2 which, in turn, is connected to a flexible tube 3 which leads to a urine receptacle 4. The catheter 1 comprises a flexible cylindrical portion which is sufficiently thin that it can be fitted easily to the shaft of the user's penis. -The cylindrical portion 5 leads to a conical portion 6 , the centre line A of the portion forming an angle with the centre line of the portion 6. When the catheter is correctly fitted to the patient, this angle ensures that urine flows to the valve 2 even when the patient is lying down and that no pool or drops of urine remain in the catheter to cause irritation to the penis. To improve the attachment of the catheter to the penis , a lining strip is provided which is of such a length and width that it can be wound helically on the shaft of the user's penis and, when so wound, occupies substantially the whole of the length of the cylindrical portion of the catheter when the latter OMPI is then fitted. The spirally wound strip 7 is shown in Fig. 1 and the strip itself in Fig. 2. It will be noted that such helical winding of the strip 7 leaves a helical channel 8 between the wound strip and the wall of the cylindrical portion. This channel 8 serves to provide an air passage between the outside and the conical portion 6 of the catheter thus ensuring that negative pressure,which might interfere with proper flow of urine out of the catheter, cannot be created in the conical portion 6 when the device is in use. The strip is preferably coated with adhesive on both sides , but in order to reduce irritation over prolonged periods of use, the adhesive coating on at least the surface which is applied to the penis may be non-continuous. Fig. 2 shows the strip 7 provided with criss-cross lines of adhesive 9« . Alternatively or in addition a portion C at one end of the strip may be left free of adhesive altogether. The urine receptacle 4 shown in Fig. 1 is a bag of flexible plastics material. The peripheral edge 10 of the bag is welded together and is furnished with openings 11 for ties to attach it, for example, to the leg of the patient. The walls of the bag 4 lying opposite each other are attached to each other at 12 so that free passage of the liquid into the - . reservoir is ensured, but splashing is counteracted. Naturally the points of attachment can be made in" a form other than the rectangular welds shown in Fig. 1. Fig.. 3 shows an alternative form of catheter 1 in which similar parts have been given the same reference numerals and letters as in Fig. 1. In this embodiment the taper of the conical portion 6 is distinctly rounded. This catheter is made as a unitary dipped latex article, extra thickness of latex being provided in the conical portion to provide the stiffness re quired.

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A device for collecting urine from incontinent male patients, which comprises an external catheter, a urine receptacle and a flexible tube connecting the catheter to the receptacle, in which the catheter comprises a thin flexible cylindrical portion and, connected thereto, a generally conical portion which is stiffer than the cylindrical portion and which terminates in a discharge opening, the centre line of the cylindrical portion of the catheter forming an angle with the centre line of the conical portion. 2. A device according to claim 1, in which the catheter is formed as a single moulded or dipped article which is of greater thickness, and therefore stif ness, in the generally conical portion. 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, which further comprises a lining adapted to be applied to the penis of the patient and to secure the cylindrical portion of the catheter thereto, the lining being in the form of a strip having a length and width such that when wound helically on the penis it extends the greater part of the length of the cylindrical portion. 4. A device according to claim 3 5 i" **1 which the lining strip is coated with a non-irritant adhesive on both sides. 5. A device according to claim 4, in which at least one surface of the lining strip is free of adhesive over an area extending from one end thereof. 6. A device according to claim 4 or 3 . in which ■ * the adhesive coating on at least one surface of the lining strip is non-continuous. 7« A device according to any of claims 1 to 6, in which the urine receptacle is a bag of flexible plastics material, the opposed walls of the bag being attached to one another at a plurality of spaced points.

Inventors: HAAN WILHELMUS A
Applicants: HAAN WILHELMUS A
Application year: 1981
Main classification: A61F5
IPC codes: A61F5