Urinary Catheters are aiding individuals suffering from urinary incontinence by removing urine directly from the bladder

 

Urinary catheters are one of the most common medical devices used in the world today. A catheter is basically a hollow, semi-flexible tube that collects urine in the bladder and directs it to a draining bag. Urinary catheters now come in numerous sizes and varieties. They are usually made from plastic (PVC), rubber, and neoprene. The latter two are made of highly absorbent materials that allow the urine to drain rather than pool in the urinary catheter. Urinary catheters are widely used for elderly people or people to remove urine from the bladder if they are suffering from urinary incontinence. According to the Statistics Bureau of Japan 2020, people aged 65 years and above were 35.90 million, which is around 28.4% population of Japan.

Some forms of urinary catheters are made especially for indwelling. Indwelling catheters require that a small amount of fluid is introduced into the system through the opening. These are often used for patients who have kidney failure, chronic urinary tract infections, or prostate problems. Once the fluid reaches the bladder, it is removed via the indwelling catheter, gravity being the force that pulls it out. This is done either by the catheter itself moving the fluid to the bladder or via gravity via a tube that carries it through the drainage ducts.

Single urinary catheters require one insertion and are typically a small quantity of urine, which can then be transported via the catheter throughout the body. Indwelling single catheters are best suited for patients with a history of UTI, as it is difficult to urologic replace an older catheter if its opening is found intact. Surgical procedures may be required to replace an old indwelling unit if required. In most cases, these urinary catheters do not require an addition to the bladder; therefore, there is no need to worry about hygienic issues. One problem that might occur with these devices, however, is when multiple men will be using the same unit to collect urine. Recently, Medtronic received the CE mark for InterStim Neurostimulator and MRI Leads for non-obstructive urinary retention.