Patent ID: 7264609

Claim:
A self-retaining urinary drainage catheter system, comprising: (a) a longitudinally extending flexible tube having a predetermined outer diameter, an open distal end and a closed proximal end, said flexible tube defining at least one lumen, said closed proximal end having a plurality of longitudinally directed slits formed through a wall of said flexible tube defining a plurality of inherently resilient flexible tube slit portions devoid of separate spring members; (b) a reversably and radially displaceable mechanism for displacing said plurality of flexible tube slit portions of said proximal end to a first configuration abutting in a non-continuous manner an inner surface of a urinary bladder, said first configuration of flexible tube slit portions having an outer diameter greater than said predetermined diameter of said flexible tube and defining a plurality of drainage apertures, and for displacing said plurality of flexible tube slit portions to a second configuration wherein said plurality of flexible tube slit portions has a diameter substantially equal to said predetermined outer diameter of said flexible tube, said plurality of drainage apertures being in direct fluid communication with said lumen, wherein said reversably and radially displaceable mechanism does not substantially obstruct a lumen of said catheter, and said catheter being of sufficient stiffness to be reversably insertable in a human being without using a stylet; and (c) a wire control device having a portion positionally located external and displaced from said longitudinally extending flexible tube, said wire control device having a reversible locking mechanism for locking said wire control device in a predetermined position and a portion thereof longitudinally and slidably positioned within a lumen of said longitudinally extending flexible tube, said wire control device fixedly secured at a first end to an inner surface of said closed proximal end.