Patent ID: 8070717

Claim:
A bladder catheter for transurethral or suprapubic introduction into a urinary bladder comprising: a flexible catheter shaft having a wall; a filling channel defined in the catheter shaft; and a balloon element made of a polyurethane-based material having a Shore hardness of 70 to 90 and fastened to the catheter shaft, the balloon element having a wall thickness of 5 to 20 micrometers and a preformed blow-molded shape, wherein in a first empty and unrestrained base state, the balloon element is fitted over the catheter shaft with folds and has a first empty volume, in a second state the balloon element is filled and unfolded without elastic expansion to a second fill volume greater than the first empty volume, and in a third fully formed state, the balloon element has an elastic expansion to a third fill volume that is at least about double the second fill volume.