A new urinary catheter can be expected to lessen the complications that commonly occur when presently available catheters are used incorrectly, researchers reported at the American Urological Association (AUA) 2012 Meeting.
“Significant complications may result from urethral trauma due to inappropriate catheter inflation within the urethra including severe pain, bleeding, and infection, all of which prolong hospitalization and increase cost,” said David Aaronson, MD, a urologist with Safe Medical Devices, LLC, in San Francisco. In fact, over a recent two-year period, 111,353 patients experienced a non-infectious catheter-related complication.
Dr. Aaronson and colleagues have added a safety balloon to the standard catheter model that is intended to reduce the incidence of catheter-related injury.
Results of their study comparing the new safety catheter versus the standard catheter showed that upon incorrect inflation within the urethra, the new catheter prototype’s “safety balloon” visibly expanded immediately upon filling, which alerted the practitioner to incorrect catheter placement and thereby avoid potential injury.
In addition, compared to a standard catheter, the mean balloon-port pressure was 50 percent lower in the catheter prototype compared to the standard catheter upon intraurethral balloon inflation, which results in less injury to the patient.
Dr. Aaronson noted that roughly 20 to 30 percent of all patients hospitalized in the U.S. undergo urinary catheter placement. Complications are often unreported as they are often thought to be inevitable.
Written By Jill Stein
Jill Stein is a Paris-based freelance medical writer.