New Urinary Catheter May Reduce Complications Associated With Current Devices

Date: May-29-2012A 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.

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