Fluid drainage catheter having an external flow path

A urinary catheter for the drainage of urine from a bladder, comprising:

• a catheter tube having a proximal end and a distal end and having a cylindrical wall with a lumen extending generally from the proximal end to the distal end to permit the passage of urine therethrough;
• the catheter tube being formed such that the proximal end thereof has a closed tip for insertion of the catheter tube through a urethra until the closed tip is positioned in the bladder and the distal end thereof has an opening for the drainage of urine from the bladder through the lumen of the catheter tube;
• the cylindrical wall having an outer surface with at least one recessed area defining an external flow channel extending generally in a longitudinal direction from a point to be positioned in the bladder in proximity to the closed tip to a point to be positioned in the urethra distally thereof;
• and
• at least one drainage eye associated with the external flow channel so the drainage eye will be positioned in the urethra or at a neck of the bladder when the point of the external flow channel in proximity to the closed tip is positioned within the bladder, the drainage eye extending completely through the catheter tube from the outer surface to the lumen to permit urine in the flow channel to pass through the drainage eye into the lumen.

An intermittent urinary catheter for the drainage of urine from a bladder, comprising:

• a catheter tube having a proximal end and a distal end and having a cylindrical wall with a lumen extending generally from the proximal end to the distal end to permit the passage of urine therethrough;
• the catheter tube being formed such that the proximal end thereof has a closed tip for insertion of the catheter tube through a urethra until the closed tip is positioned in the bladder and the distal end thereof has an opening for the drainage of urine from the bladder through the lumen of the catheter tube;
• the cylindrical wall having an outer surface with at least one recessed area defining an external flow channel extending generally in a longitudinal direction from a point to be positioned in the bladder in proximity to the closed tip to at least one drainage eye;
• the outer surface of the cylindrical wall being formed to have a substantially uniform diameter from a point near the closed tip along at least a portion of the catheter tube to be inserted into the urethra;
• the drainage eye being positioned generally at the end of the flow channel located distally of the closed tip so as to be in recessed relation relative to the cylindrical wall of the catheter tube and positioned in the urethra or at a neck of the bladder when the point of the flow channel in proximity to the closed tip is positioned within the bladder;
• the drainage eye extending completely through the catheter tube from the outer surface to the lumen to permit urine in the flow channel to pass through the drainage eye into the lumen.

A catheter, comprising:

• a catheter tube having a proximal end and a distal end and having a cylindrical wall with a lumen extending generally from the proximal end to the distal end to permit the passage of urine therethrough;
• the catheter tube being formed such that the proximal end thereof has a closed tip for insertion of the catheter tube into the urethra and the distal end thereof has an opening for the drainage of urine from the catheter tube;
• the cylindrical wall having an outer surface with at least one defined external flow path extending generally in a longitudinal direction from a point in proximity to the closed tip to at least one drainage eye;
• the outer surface of the cylindrical wall being formed to have a substantially uniform diameter from a point near the closed tip along at least the portion of the catheter tube to be inserted into the urethra;
• the catheter tube having an inflatable balloon extending at least substantially about the outer surface of the cylindrical wall to surround the defined external flow path generally nearer the end thereof located distally of the closed tip;
• each of the drainage eyes being positioned generally at the end of the defined external flow path located distally of the inflatable balloon and extending completely through the catheter tube from the outer surface to the lumen to permit urine in the flow path to pass through the drainage eye into the lumen.

A catheter, comprising:

• a catheter tube having a proximal end and a distal end and having a cylindrical wall with a lumen extending generally from the proximal end to the distal end to permit the passage of urine therethrough;
• the catheter tube being formed such that the proximal end thereof has a closed tip for insertion of the catheter tube into the urethra and the distal end thereof has an opening for the drainage of urine from the catheter tube;
• the cylindrical wall having an outer surface with at least one defined external flow path extending generally in a longitudinal direction from a point in proximity to the closed tip to a drainage eye located distally thereof;
• the outer surface of the cylindrical wall being formed to have a substantially uniform diameter from a point near the closed tip along at least the portion of the catheter tube to be inserted into the urethra;
• the catheter tube having an inflatable balloon extending less than entirely about the outer surface of the cylindrical wall and having adjacent lobes spaced from the outer surface of the cylindrical wall to define the external flow path as the space between the outer surface of the cylindrical wall and the adjacent lobes;
• the drainage eye being positioned generally at the end of the defined external flow path located distally of the inflatable balloon and extending completely through the catheter tube from the outer surface to the lumen to permit urine in the flow path to pass through the drainage eye into the lumen.