Intermittent urinary catheter with conical lumen

Abstract

An intermittent urinary catheter has a catheter body extending from an open distal end to a proximal end, with the proximal end configured for insertion into an urethra. A lumen is formed longitudinally in the catheter body. Eyelets are formed through a wall of the catheter body to communicate with the lumen. Each eyelet is located equidistantly from the proximal end of the catheter body. The lumen is conical with a cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at a distal end portion of the catheter body larger than a cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at a proximal end portion of the catheter body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A urinary catheter comprising:
 an intermittent urinary catheter comprising a catheter body extending from an open distal end to a proximal end, with the proximal end configured for insertion into an urethra;   a lumen formed longitudinally in the catheter body; and   a plurality of eyelets formed through a wall of the catheter body and communicating with the lumen, where each eyelet of the plurality of eyelets is located equidistantly from the proximal end of the catheter body;   wherein the lumen is conical with a cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at a distal end portion of the catheter body larger than a cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at a proximal end portion of the catheter body.   
     
     
         2 . The urinary catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the intermittent urinary catheter provides a volumetric flow rate for liquid flowing through the lumen of at least 15 ml per second at a pressure of 400 mm H 2 O. 
     
     
         3 . The urinary catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter body includes a hydrophilic surface coating. 
     
     
         4 . The urinary catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the catheter body is conical with a cross-sectional area of the catheter body measured at a distal end portion of the catheter body larger than a cross-sectional area of the  1  catheter body measured at a proximal end portion of the catheter body. 
     
     
         5 . The urinary catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of eyelets comprises three eyelets. 
     
     
         6 . The urinary catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the conical lumen is configured with the cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at the distal end portion of the catheter body being larger by a factor of one CH size relative to the cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at the proximal end portion of the catheter body. 
     
     
         7 . The urinary catheter of  claim 1 , wherein at least one eyelet of the plurality of eyelets is configured to have a transverse width with a dimension that is greater than a longitudinal length dimension such that the at least one eyelet is wider than it is long. 
     
     
         8 . A urinary catheter comprising:
 an intermittent urinary catheter comprising a catheter body extending from an open distal end to a proximal end, with the proximal end configured for insertion into an urethra;   a lumen formed longitudinally in the catheter body; and   a plurality of eyelets formed through a wall of the catheter body and communicating with the lumen, where each eyelet of the plurality of eyelets is located equidistantly from the proximal end of the catheter body;   wherein the lumen is conical with a cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at a distal end portion of the catheter body larger than a cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at a proximal end portion of the catheter body;   wherein the intermittent urinary catheter provides a volumetric flow rate for liquid flowing through the lumen of at least 15 ml per second at a pressure of 400 mm H 2 O.   
     
     
         9 . A urinary catheter comprising:
 an intermittent urinary catheter comprising a catheter body extending from an open distal end to a proximal end, with the proximal end configured for insertion into an urethra;   a lumen formed longitudinally in the catheter body; and   a plurality of eyelets formed through a wall of the catheter body and communicating with the lumen, where each eyelet of the plurality of eyelets is located equidistantly from the proximal end of the catheter body;   wherein the lumen is conical with a cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at a distal end portion of the catheter body larger than a cross-sectional area of the lumen measured at a proximal end portion of the catheter body;   wherein the intermittent urinary catheter provides a volumetric flow rate for liquid flowing through the lumen of at least 15 ml per second at a pressure of 400 mm H 2 O;   wherein the catheter body includes a hydrophilic surface coating.