Abstract The catheter comprises a normally straight tube of resilient material adapted to be inserted into an opening of the bladder or other organ being drained of fluid. The tube has a main drainage passageway that communicates with at least one drainage opening formed in the wall of the tube, and an auxiliary inflator fluid passageway that communicates with the interior of a normally deflated inflatable balloon mounted on the exterior of the tube adjacent the forward end thereof. The balloon is disposed on one side only of the tube so that when the balloon is inflated the opposite side of the tube is unobstructed by the balloon and the normally straight tube is bowed in the vicinity of the balloon with the ends of the tube pointing away from the balloon. One of the drain openings formed in the tube wall is disposed on the side of the tube opposite the balloon in straddling relation to the level of the rearward or lower boundary of the balloon.
A fluid drainage catheter comprising a normally straight tube of resilient material the closed forward end of which is adapted to be inserted in an opening of the body cavity to be drained, the tube having a main drainage passageway that extends from the closed forward end to the open rearward end of said tube and an auxiliary inflator fluid passageway that is disposed parallel to the main drainage passageway, and a normally deflated inflatable balloon of distensible elastic material mounted on the exterior of the tube adjacent the forward end thereof with the interior of the balloon in communication with the inflator fluid passageway of the tube, said balloon being disposed on one side only of the tube so that when the balloon is inflated the side of the tube opposite said balloon is unobstructed by the balloon and the normally straight tube assumes a bowed configuration in the vicinity of the inflated balloon with the forward end of the tube pointing away from the balloon, the tube wall being formed with a drain opening that communicates with the main drainage passageway, said drain opening being disposed on the side of the tube opposite the balloon in straddling relation to the level of the rearward boundary of the balloon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
210 words
A fluid drainage catheter comprising a normally straight tube of resilient material the closed forward end of which is adapted to be inserted in an opening of the body cavity to be drained, the tube having a main drainage passageway that extends from the closed forward end to the open rearward end of said tube and an auxiliary inflator fluid passageway that is disposed parallel to the main drainage passageway, and a normally deflated inflatable balloon of distensible elastic material mounted on the exterior of the tube adjacent the forward end thereof with the interior of the balloon in communication with the inflator fluid passageway of the tube, said balloon being disposed on one side only of the tube so that when the balloon is inflated the side of the tube opposite said balloon is unobstructed by the balloon and the normally straight tube assumes a bowed configuration in the vicinity of the inflated balloon with the forward end of the tube pointing away from the balloon, the tube wall being formed with a drain opening that communicates with the main drainage passageway, said drain opening being disposed on the side of the tube opposite the balloon in straddling relation to the level of the rearward boundary of the balloon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The catheter according to claim 1 in which the tube wall is formed with at least one other drainage opening communicating with the main drainage passageway and disposed between the closed forward end thereof and the forward boundary of the inflatable balloon mounted thereon.