Method for making a ready-to-use catheter assembly and ready-to-use-catheter assembly

Abstract

A method of making a ready-to-use catheter assembly and a ready-to-use catheter are provided, which avoids any degradation of the catheter during sterilization. The method comprises: placing a catheter with a hydrophilic coating and a wetting fluid in a catheter package made of low moisture transmission material while the package is in a first condition wherein an insertable length of the hydrophilic coating of the catheter is not in contact with the wetting fluid, sterilizing the catheter package with the catheter and the wetting fluid by radiation sterilization while the catheter package is kept in a condition in which the insertable length is not in contact with the wetting fluid, transferring the catheter package with the catheter and the wetting fluid into a second condition, bringing the wetting fluid into contact with at least the insertable length and activating the insertable length via gravity and/or via inertia.

1 . A ready-to-use catheter assembly, comprising:
 a catheter package made of a material with low moisture transmission and a catheter arranged in the catheter package, the catheter comprising an activated hydrophilic coating which is activated by a wetting fluid,   wherein the catheter package includes two regions, which are designed to store the wetting fluid and at least an insertable length of the hydrophilic coating of the catheter separated from each other in a first condition of the catheter package, and to bring the catheter and the wetting fluid together in a second condition and to allow free flow communication between the first region and the second region through changing over from the first condition into the second condition via gravity and/or inertia only, and   wherein the first region of the catheter package is formed by a compartment for the wetting fluid, and the compartment is connected to the second region of the catheter package via a free flow opening.   
     
     
         2 . The ready-to-use catheter assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the compartment for the wetting fluid is separated from the remaining part of the catheter package via a bridge with a free flow opening. 
     
     
         3 . The ready-to-use catheter assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the compartment for the wetting fluid has a tube-like shape and is arranged near the tip of the catheter. 
     
     
         4 . The ready-to-use catheter assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the catheter is surrounded by a sleeve which is combined with the free flow opening of the tube-like shaped compartment for the wetting fluid and directs the wetting fluid to the hydrophilic coating of the catheter when the catheter package is in the second condition. 
     
     
         5 . The ready-to-use catheter assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the sleeve comprises an insertion aid which is connected to the tube-like shaped compartment.