Patent ID: 7608085

Claim:
A single catheter for use in suturing conduit shaped tissue within a subjects body, the catheter comprising: a flexible catheter having a proximal end portion configured to be connected to a urine collection bag, a distal end portion, and a lumen therebetween, the flexible catheter including: one or more drain holes disposed in the distal end portion of the catheter, and an inflatable expandable balloon attached to the flexible catheter at a location proximally spaced from the one or more drain holes disposed in the distal end portion, the inflatable expandable balloon being configured to be expanded within the conduit shaped tissue to anchor the catheter for indwelling purposes; a grooved tip member disposed on the distal end portion of the flexible catheter, having a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves on an external surface of the tip member, the grooved tip member being configured to be positioned within adjoining portions of tissue to be sutured, such that a suture needle tip may be received within and guided by one of said plurality of grooves during suturing of adjoining tissue portions within a subject's body; wherein the one or more drain holes disposed in the distal end of the catheter are located between the grooved tip member and the inflatable expandable balloon to provide for drainage of urine through the lumen to the proximal end portion of the catheter, and the catheter is made of a material with a flexibility sufficient to enable the catheter to be left within the patient for indwelling purposes after suturing to provide for drainage of urine.