# US 12,178,968 B2 · Intermittent catheter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,968 B2 - Document ID: US12178968B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/492,175 - Filed: 2023-10-23 - Published: 2024-02-08 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-23 - Applicants: ConvaTec Limited - Inventors: Jarrod D'Annibale; Tony Dedionisio; Jason Bryant - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178968B2 ## CPC - A61M 25/0017: {specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections} - A61M 25/002: {Packages specially adapted therefor (combined with means for introducing catheters, e.g. dispensers, A61M25/0113); catheter kit packages (for surgical articles A61B50/30)} - A61M 25/0045: {multi-layered, e.g. coated (coating materials A61L29/08)} - A61M 25/0111: {Aseptic insertion devices} - A61M 2025/0046: {Coatings for improving slidability} - A61M 2210/1085: Bladder - A61M 2210/1092: Female - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract Described is a catheter arrangement in which a sealed container of wetting agent is provided in a housing cap. The sealed container is pierced with a piercing member such that the wetting agent is directed towards the catheter. The wetting agent may bypass a handling surface of the catheter whilst being directed to the catheter tube. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A catheter assembly comprising: a catheter and a cap, the catheter comprising a catheter tube and the cap comprising a sealed container of wetting agent; and at least one piercing member configured to pierce the sealed container and direct the wetting agent to the catheter tube; wherein the catheter tube comprises a main flow path, the main flow path having a proximal inlet at an insertion end of the catheter, and a distal outlet, wherein the piercing member further comprises one or more fluid passageways for bypassing the catheter outlet such that the wetting agent is directed to an external surface of the catheter tube; wherein the catheter comprises a portion of the one or more fluid passageways. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1, comprising an external housing wherein the external housing comprises the cap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the cap is configured to move from a first position to a second position, wherein in the second position the piercing member is configured to pierce the sealed container. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the external housing further comprises a main body in which the catheter tube is at least partially arranged. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more fluid passageways are arranged radially outside of a longitudinal axis of the main flow path. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more fluid passageways is integrally formed in the catheter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein a main body comprises the one or more fluid passageways. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluid passageways are in fluid communication with the sealed container via the at least one piercing member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1, further comprising a sheath arranged around the catheter tube. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The catheter assembly of claim 9, wherein the fluid passageways are configured to direct wetting agent into a volume bounded by the sheath. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The catheter assembly of claim 10, wherein the cap is removeable and the cap is configured to retain the sealed container when the cap is removed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The catheter assembly of claim 11, wherein the sealed container and/or cap is configured to retain the piercing member when in the second position such that the piercing member is removable with the cap, wherein the cap is configured to move towards the piercing member when the cap is moved from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the movement of the cap is guided by a pin formed on the inside of the cap and a corresponding channel arranged on the outside of a case, or vice versa. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The catheter assembly of claim 13, wherein the channel comprises a first portion; the first portion configured to guide the cap from a first position to a second position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The catheter assembly of claim 14, wherein the channel comprises a second portion; the second portion configured to guide the cap from the second position to a third position. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The catheter assembly of claim 13, wherein the channel comprises a third portion; the third portion connecting the first and second portions, wherein the third portion is configured to be traversed when the cap is rotated relative to a main body. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the piercing member is axially restrained by the catheter in a proximal direction and axially unrestrained by the catheter in a distal direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein an external surface of the catheter tube comprises a hydrophilic component.