Catheter

Abstract

The present invention relates to a catheter that includes an elongate body having distal and proximal ends, the elongate body having at least one lumen therethrough, a distal portion of the elongate body having a perimeter. First and second retention members of the catheter are first and second retention members selectively disposed in either an insertion state or a retention state. In the insertion state, the first and second retention members form a distal body defining a central axis, the central axis being generally spaced apart from the perimeter of the distal portion of the elongate body, the distal body and elongate body insertable along a passageway of a mammal. In the retention state, the first and second retention members are selectively disposed in a spaced apart configuration to resist proximal movement of the catheter along the passage of the mammal.

1 . A urinary drainage catheter composing: 
 an elongate body comprising: 
 a distal portion;  
 a proximal portion; and  
 first and second separate passages therealong;  
   a distal balloon operatively associated with the distal portion of the elongate body; and    a proximal balloon operatively associated with the proximal portion of the elongate body, the distal and proximal balloons being in hydraulic communication with one another via the second passage, wherein an expansion of one of the balloons accompanies a contraction of the other of the balloons.    
   
   
       2 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , wherein when the distal portion of the elongate body is disposed in fluid communication with a bladder of a mammal, the first passage allows fluid to exit the bladder.  
   
   
       3 . A sealed enclosure comprising the urinary drainage catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter is sterile and at least one of the distal and proximal balloons comprises a fluid.  
   
   
       4 . The sealed enclosure of  claim 3 , wherein the fluid is an aqueous liquid.  
   
   
       5 . A urinary drainage catheter comprising: 
 an elongate member comprising a distal portion, a proximal portion, and a urinary drainage passage therealong; and    a hydraulically actuated retention mechanism operatively associated with the distal end of the elongate member, the hydraulically actuated retention mechanism comprising an actuation fluid and at least one retention member rotatably associated with the distal portion of the elongate body, the retention member (i) being free of the actuation fluid and (ii) being hydraulically rotatable between an insertion state and a retention state, the retention state being configured to resist withdrawal of the catheter when the retention member is deployed in the retention state within the bladder, the actuation fluid not entering the retention member upon actuation to the retention state.    
   
   
       6 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein the catheter comprises a proximal portion having at least one spatial marker indicative of an orientation of the retention members.  
   
   
       7 . A urinary drainage catheter for draining fluid from a bladder of a catheterized mammal, comprising: 
 an elongate body, comprising: 
 a distal portion;  
 a proximal portion; and  
 first and second separate passages extending therealong;  
   a distal enclosure operatively associated with the distal portion of the elongate body and having an insertion state and a retention state, the distal enclosure being inflatable from the insertion state to the retention state upon the introduction of an actuation fluid thereto and collapsible from the retention state to the insertion state upon the exit of at least some of the actuation fluid therefrom, wherein, when the distal enclosure is in the retention state within the bladder, the distal enclosure resists withdrawal of the distal portion of the catheter along the urethra and the first passage facilitates drainage of fluid from the bladder; and    a fluid release mechanism operatively associated with the proximal portion of the elongate body, the distal enclosure being in hydraulic communication with the fluid release mechanism via the second passage, wherein, when the catheter is subjected to a traumatic withdrawing force directed substantially along the urethra, the release mechanism operates to allow actuation fluid to exit the second passage, whereupon the distal enclosure collapses to the insertion state.    
   
   
       8 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid release mechanism is external to the urethra when the distal enclosure is disposed within the bladder.  
   
   
       9 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid release mechanism comprises an expandable enclosure and operation of the fluid release mechanism comprises introduction of fluid to the expandable enclosure from the second passage.  
   
   
       10 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the expandable enclosure comprises an expandable balloon formed of elastic material.  
   
   
       11 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 10 , wherein the distal enclosure comprises an expandable balloon formed of elastic material.  
   
   
       12 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 9 , wherein the expandable enclosure is an expandable sack formed of flexible material.  
   
   
       13 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid release mechanism comprises a membrane and actuation of the fluid release mechanism comprises at least one of an increase in an area of the membrane and a rupture of the membrane.  
   
   
       14 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 13 , wherein the membrane has a thickness less than a thickness of the second passage adjacent the membrane.  
   
   
       15 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid release mechanism comprises a relief valve.  
   
   
       16 . The urinary drainage catheter of  claim 15 , wherein the valve is a poppet relief valve.  
   
   
       17 - 34 . (canceled)  
   
   
       35 . A method for catheterizing a mammal comprising: 
 providing a catheter, the catheter comprising: 
 an elongate body comprising: 
 a distal portion;  
 a proximal portion;  
 
 a distal enclosure operatively associated with the distal portion of the elongate body; and  
 a proximal enclosure having at least one flexible wall, the proximal enclosure being in fluidic communication with the distal enclosure;  
   passing the distal portion of the elongate body along at least a portion of the urethra of the mammal, at least a portion of the proximal enclosure remaining outside the urethra;    introducing fluid to the distal enclosure by applying pressure to the flexible wall of the proximal enclosure whereupon fluid exits the proximal enclosure and fluid enters and expands the distal enclosure within the bladder of the mammal, wherein the expanded distal enclosure resists withdrawal of the catheter along the urethra of the mammal.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the proximal enclosure comprises at least one of a balloon and a flexible sack and applying pressure to the flexible wall comprises squeezing the at least one of the balloon and flexible sack.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the catheter is a urinary drainage catheter comprising at least one drainage passage and, upon expansion of the distal enclosure, a distal opening of the at least one drainage passage is disposed in fluidic communication with the bladder.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the step of providing a catheter comprises: 
 opening a sealed enclosure enclosing the catheter, wherein, when the catheter is present within the sealed enclosure, at least one of the proximal and distal enclosures comprise an amount of liquid sufficient to expand the distal enclosure by an amount sufficient to resist withdrawal of the catheter from the urethra.    
   
   
       39 - 52 . (canceled)