Catheter snugger system and method

Abstract

A device for snugging a balloon of a catheter against an inner wall of an intra-corporeal lumen or surface serviced by the catheter includes a hollow column having a top end and a bottom end, forming a throughway sized to accommodate a tube of the catheter, and a flange extending from the bottom end of the hollow column generally perpendicularly to length of the hollow column. A slit is formed in the hollow column and the flange through which the hollow column is connectable to the tube of the catheter. The catheter is tugged to contact the balloon to the inner wall of the lumen, and the device is fixed to the tube of the catheter atop the skin of a body serviced by the catheter to tension pressure of the balloon against the inner wall.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for snugging a balloon of a catheter against an inner wall of a lumen or surface serviced by the catheter, the catheter has an outer surface, comprising:
 a hollow column having a top end and a bottom end, forming a throughway sized to accommodate a tube of the catheter; and   a flange extending from the bottom end of the hollow column, the flange extends generally perpendicular to length of the hollow column.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the flange and the hollow column include a slit through which the hollow column is connectable to the tube of the catheter. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the device is formed of silicone and deformable to expand the slit and allow insertion of the tube of the catheter into the hollow column. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a securement device of the hollow column.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the flange is sized to rest atop skin of a body serviced by the catheter. 
     
     
         6 . A device for use with a catheter having an outer surface, comprising:
 a hollow cylindrical column having a top and a bottom, the hollow cylindrical column is pliable;   a flange connected to the bottom, the flange is pliable; and   a connector to reversibly secure the hollow cylindrical column to the outer surface of the catheter.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a securement device of the hollow cylindrical column for securing the hollow cylindrical column to a tube of a catheter.   
     
     
         8 . A method, comprising:
 providing a snugger device to an external portion of a tube of a catheter having a balloon inflated within a lumen or space of a body;   tugging the catheter to bring the balloon into tensioned contact with an inner wall of the lumen or space; and   positioning the snugger device in contact with skin of the body in order to maintain tensioned contact of the balloon with the inner wall.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 securing the snugger device from positioning to the tube of the catheter to maintain tensioned contact of the balloon with the inner wall.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the snugger device includes a hollow column connected to a flange; further comprising:
 securing the hollow column of the snugger device from positioning to the tube of the catheter.   
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacture, comprising:
 providing a hollow external sleeve sufficient to accept a tube of a catheter; and   providing a flange connected to an end of the sleeve.   
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacture of  claim 11  further comprising:
 providing a securement device to the sleeve, the securement device for fixed connection of the sleeve to the tube of the catheter. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacture of  claim 12 , wherein the sleeve and the flange are each selected from the group consisting of: silicone, polyurethane, and medical grade malleable plastic. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the device is formed of material selected from the group consisting of: silicone, polyurethane, rubber and malleable and soft plastic, and the device is deformable to expand the slit and allow insertion of the tube of the catheter into the hollow column in a manner so as to mate two attractive and bondable surfaces so as to secure the hollow column to the external surface of the drainage tube 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the securement device is selected from the group consisting of: electromagnetic connector, textile connector, or mechanical bonding connector, complementary Velcro surfaces on a catheter and inner surface of the hollow column. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the securement device is selected from the group consisting of: electromagnetic connector, textile connector, or mechanical bonding connector, complementary Velcro surfaces on a catheter and inner surface of the hollow column. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein securing is by mating mechanical connectors, textile connectors, electromagnetic connectors attached to both the snugger device and the hollow column. 
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacture of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 forming a slit in the flange and the sleeve for insertion of the tube of the catheter.