Retention catheter

Claim 2

A retention catheter comprising: relatively shiftable, inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted in the urethra to present a path for conducting urine from the bladder; and a stretch of pliant material interconnecting the distal ends of said tubes to present said catheter as an integral one-piece unit in which the tubes and said stretch are of like material, said stretch being molded to independently and automatically assume a self-formed pre-determined shape presenting an enlarged retention configuration wherein a segment of the stretch is adapted to engage the wall of the bladder to hold the catheter when in its inserted disposition, with said inner tube in direct communication with the bladder, said stretch being deformable from said shape to a collapsed configuration for facilitating travel of the catheter along the urethra, said stretch respectively deforming to said collapsed configuration and assuming said retention configuration solely in response to shifting of said tubes to first and second positions relative to each other.

Claim 3

A retention catheter comprising: interconnected, relatively shiftable, inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted in the urethra to present a path for conducting urine from the bladder; and a stretch of pliant material attached to the distal end of one of said tubes, said stretch being molded to independently and automAtically assume a self-formed pre-determined shape presenting an enlarged retention configuration wherein a segment of the stretch is adapted to engage the wall of the bladder to hold the catheter when in its inserted disposition, said stretch being deformable from said shape to a collapsed configuration for facilitating travel of the catheter along the urethra, said stretch respectively deforming to said collapsed configuration and assuming said retention configuration solely in response to shifting of said tubes to first and second positions relative to each other, said stretch being attached to and interconnecting the distal ends of both of said tubes.

Claim 4

A retention catheter comprising: interconnected, relatively shiftable, inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted in the urethra to present a path for conducting urine from the bladder; and a stretch of pliant material attached to the distal end of one of said tubes, said stretch being molded to independently and automAtically assume a self-formed pre-determined shape presenting an enlarged retention configuration wherein a segment of the stretch is adapted to engage the wall of the bladder to hold the catheter when in its inserted disposition, said stretch being deformable from said shape to a collapsed configuration for facilitating travel of the catheter along the urethra, said stretch respectively deforming to said collapsed configuration and assuming said retention configuration solely in response to shifting of said tubes to first and second positions relative to each other, said stretch being attached to and interconnecting the distal ends of both of said tubes.

Claim 5

A catheter as set forth in claim 2, wherein said stretch is nonporous and seals the annular space between said inner and outer tubes from the bladder and the interior of said inner tube, said interior presenting said path for conducting urine from the bladder.

Claim 6

A catheter as set forth in claim 2, substantially the entirety of said stretch being disposed radially inwardly of said outer tube when in said collapsed configuration.

Claim 7

A catheter as set forth in claim 4, said stretch having said segment disposed radially outwardly of said outer tube and to engage the bladder wall when said stretch is in said retention configuration.

Claim 8

A catheter as set forth in claim 5, said inner tube being axially shiftable within the outer tube to said first and second positions while said outer tube remains substantially stationary within the urethra.

Claim 9

A catheter as set forth in claim 6, wherein shifting of said inner tube to said first position locates said distal end thereof inside the outer tube and locates said stretch completely inside said outer tube.

Claim 10

A catheter as set forth in claim 7, wherein shifting said inner tube to said second position locates said distal end thereof axially outside said outer tube and locates said stretch with said segment thereof flaring radially outwardly from said distal end of the outer tube and with a second segment of the stretch extending generally axially from the first segment to said distal end of the inner tube.

Claim 11

A catheter as set forth in claim 2, said stretch being sufficiently rigid to be self-holding in said retention configuration and to resist said relative shifting of said tubes and hold the catheter in its inserted disposition when said stretch is in said retention configuration.

Claim 12

A catheter as set forth in claim 9, said inner and outer tubes and said stretch being integral and presenting a one-piece unit, the wall thickness of said stretch being substantially less than the wall thicknesses of said inner and outer tubes whereby said relative shifting of said tubes effects said deformation of said stretch without deforming said tubes.

Claim 13

A catheter as set forth in claim 10, said unit being of silicone elastomer material having a memory.

Claim 14

A catheter, comprising: spaced, relatively shiftable inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted in the urethra, the interior of said inner tube presenting a path for conducting urine from the bladder; and a barrier of nonporous material interconnecting said inner and outer tubes to seal one end of the annular space between said inner and outer tubes, the other end of said annular space being open to permit introduction of fluid thereinto, said outer tube being perforated whereby introduction of fluid into said annular space effects irrigation of the urethra while the catheter is in its inserted disposition.

Claim 15

A catheter, comprising: spaced, relatively shiftable inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted in the urethra, the interior of said inner tube presenting a path for conducting urine from the bladder; and a barrier of nonporous material interconnecting said inner and outer tubes to seal one end of the annular space between said inner and outer tubes, the other end of said annular space being open to permit introduction of fluid thereinto, said outer tube being perforated whereby introduction of fluid into said annular space effects irrigation of the urethra while the catheter is in its inserted disposition.

Claim 16

A catheter as set forth in claim 12, said barrier being a stretch interconnecting the distal ends of said inner and outer tubes to seal said annular space from the bladder and said interior of the inner tube, said catheter being adapted to receive fluid from an external source through said other end of the annular space to irrigate the urethra.

Claim 17

A retention catheter adapted to be inserted through an opening in a human body into a cavity of the body, saiD catheter comprising: relatively shiftable, inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted through the opening to present a path for conducting fluid to and from the cavity; and a stretch of pliant material interconnecting the distal ends of said tubes to present said catheter as an integral, one-piece unit in which the tubes and said stretch are of like material, said stretch being molded to independently and automatically assume a self-formed, predetermined shape presenting an enlarged retention configuration wherein a segment of the stretch is adapted to engage the wall of the cavity to hold the catheter when in its inserted disposition with said inner tube in direct communication with the cavity, said stretch being deformable from said shape to a collapsed configuration for facilitating travel of the catheter along the opening, said stretch respectively deforming to said collapsed configuration and assuming said retention configuration solely in response to shifting of said tubes to first and second positions relative to each other.

Claim 18

A retention catheter adapted to be inserted through an opening in a human body into a cavity of the body, saiD catheter comprising: relatively shiftable, inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted through the opening to present a path for conducting fluid to and from the cavity; and a stretch of pliant material interconnecting the distal ends of said tubes to present said catheter as an integral, one-piece unit in which the tubes and said stretch are of like material, said stretch being molded to independently and automatically assume a self-formed, predetermined shape presenting an enlarged retention configuration wherein a segment of the stretch is adapted to engage the wall of the cavity to hold the catheter when in its inserted disposition with said inner tube in direct communication with the cavity, said stretch being deformable from said shape to a collapsed configuration for facilitating travel of the catheter along the opening, said stretch respectively deforming to said collapsed configuration and assuming said retention configuration solely in response to shifting of said tubes to first and second positions relative to each other.

Claim 19

A catheter as set forth in claim 14 wherein said material is of the type having a memory, said stretch spontaneously assuming said shape when said tubes are shifted to said second position.

Claim 20

A retention catheter adapted to be inserted through an opening in a human body into a cavity of the body, said catheter comprising: interconnected, relatively shiftable, inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted through the opening to present a path for conducting fluid to and from the cavity; and a stretch of pliant material attached to the distal end of one of said tubes, said stretch being molded to independently and automatically assume a self-formed, predetermined shape presenting an enlarged retention configuration wherein a segment of the stretch is adapted to engage the wall of the cavity to hold the catheter when in its inserted disposition, said stretch being deformable from said shape to a collapsed configuration for facilitating travel of the catheter along the opening, said stretch respectively deforming to said collapsed configuration and assuming said retention configuration solely in response to shifting of said tubes to first and second positions relative to each other, said material being of the type having a memory, said stretch spontaneously assuming said shape when said tubes are shifted to said second position, said tubes and said stretch being integral to present a one-piece unit, said stretch being disposed interiorly of said outer tube when said tubes are in said first position and disposed exteriorly of said outer tube when said tubes are in said second position.

Claim 21

A retention catheter adapted to be inserted through an opening in a human body into a cavity of the body, said catheter comprising: interconnected, relatively shiftable, inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted through the opening to present a path for conducting fluid to and from the cavity; and a stretch of pliant material attached to the distal end of one of said tubes, said stretch being molded to independently and automatically assume a self-formed, predetermined shape presenting an enlarged retention configuration wherein a segment of the stretch is adapted to engage the wall of the cavity to hold the catheter when in its inserted disposition, said stretch being deformable from said shape to a collapsed configuration for facilitating travel of the catheter along the opening, said stretch respectively deforming to said collapsed configuration and assuming said retention configuration solely in response to shifting of said tubes to first and second positions relative to each other, said material being of the type having a memory, said stretch spontaneously assuming said shape when said tubes are shifted to said second position, said tubes and said stretch being integral to present a one-piece unit, said stretch being disposed interiorly of said outer tube when said tubes are in said first position and disposed exteriorly of said outer tube when said tubes are in said second position.

Claim 22

A catheter as set forth in claim 16 wherein said stretch is stretched axially along the interior of said outer tube when disposed interiorly thereof.

Claim 23

A retention catheter comprising: interconnected, relatively shiftable, inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted in the urethra to present a path for conducting urine from the bladder; and a stretch of deformable material attached to the distal end of one of said tubes, said stretch being deformable to a collapsed configuration facilitating travel of the catheter along the urethra and being deformable to an enlarged retention configuration wherein a segment of the stretch is adapted to engage the wall of the bladder to hold the catheter in its inserted disposition, said stretch deforming respectively to said collapsed and retention configurations in response to shifting of said tubes to first and second positions relative to each other, said stretch being attached to and interconnecting the distal ends of both of said tubes, said stretch being nonporous and sealing the annular space between said inner and outer tubes from the bladder and the interior of said inner tube, said interior presenting said path for conducting urine from the bladder, said outer tube being perforated whereby introduction oF fluid into said annular space effects irrigation of the urethra while the catheter is in its inserted disposition.

Claim 24

A retention catheter comprising: interconnected, relatively shiftable, inner and outer tubes adapted to be inserted in the urethra to present a path for conducting urine from the bladder; and a stretch of deformable material attached to the distal end of one of said tubes, said stretch being deformable to a collapsed configuration facilitating travel of the catheter along the urethra and being deformable to an enlarged retention configuration wherein a segment of the stretch is adapted to engage the wall of the bladder to hold the catheter in its inserted disposition, said stretch deforming respectively to said collapsed and retention configurations in response to shifting of said tubes to first and second positions relative to each other, said stretch being attached to and interconnecting the distal ends of both of said tubes, said stretch being nonporous and sealing the annular space between said inner and outer tubes from the bladder and the interior of said inner tube, said interior presenting said path for conducting urine from the bladder, said outer tube being perforated whereby introduction oF fluid into said annular space effects irrigation of the urethra while the catheter is in its inserted disposition.