New Urological Technologies and Products (NuTap)
New Urological Technologies and Products (NuTap) was a Foresight LINK award (2001-4) to a collaboration comprising the BioMed Centre, North Bristol NHS Trust, Cardiff & Durham Universities, ETB Ltd, Ranier Technology Ltd, Limbs and Things Ltd, Ellis Developments Ltd, BHD Group Ltd and Microcircuit Engineering Ltd. The programme focused on the introduction of novel products and procedures to provide a wider range of urine collection systems.
Automatic Valve | New
Urethral Catheter | Training Model |
Suprapubic Foley
Catheter | Advanced Catheter System
Automatic Valve
Studies have shown that if the natural cycle of filling and emptying the bladder can be achieved, there is a significant reduction in the rate of catheter blockage. Manual valves allow the natural cycle to be simulated, but they are often difficult to use especially for people with poor manual dexterity. ETB and Durham University developed a urine drainage device system that enables the bladder to fill and empty in a natural cycle automatically. It is an external automatic micro-valve system, which will operate in conjunction with a long-term catheter and drainage collection bag. Early tests demonstrated that no commercially available micro-valve could achieve the required levels of flow performance, power consumption & size without unacceptable rates of bio-encrustation & blockage. A prototype design developed and tested using the lab process available through the BioMed Centre was shown to perform successfully in highly contaminated urine in-vitro tests, increasing the time to encrustation up to 4 times. A high-performance, low cost development programme was then accelerated to produce a custom designed valve with encrustation resistant features and a very-low-power electronic actuator for controlling flow.
A number of prototype designs from Durham University are now being produced ready for clinical trials.
Reference: Sabbuba NA, Stickler DJ, Long M, Dong Z, Short TD. Does the valve- regulated release of urine from the bladder reduce the encrustation and blockage of indwelling catheters by crystalline Proteus mirabilis biofilms? Journal of Urology 2005, 173: 262-266.
Patent :GB2395128B, Granted 16th November 2005 .
The above schematic shows one of the earlier designs which was trialed
during the project. For more information contact Dr Diana Hodgins at
ETB
New Urethral Catheter
One of the problems with the Foley Catheter is that the balloon that holds the catheter in place, creates a reservoir of urine in which bacteria thrive. The aim was to develop a catheter that would allow the bladder to empty completely. Ranier Ltd already had a patented concept and a first pre-prototype of one component part. During the course of the programme, the design and materials evolved and a further four patents relating to the device design have been filed. A succession of protypes have been manufactured. Testing in accordance with the International and EU Standards has demonstrated that the catheter permits a faster flow rate of liquid than a conventional Foley catheter. In other respects it was shown to perform equally well. Use of the bladder model system was invaluable in demonstrating that the new catheter took longer to block than conventional silicone Foley catheters of the same Charrier size when challenged with the ‘worst case scenario’ in terms of infection by P. mirabilis and urine production rate. Preliminary clinical trials have been performed at the BioMed Centre and in Denmark .
The photo below is of the tube that forms the main part of the urethral catheter. It is clear from this photo that the wall thickness is considerably less when compared to the conventional silicone catheters.
For more information contact Sam Martin at Ranier Ltd
Catheterisation training model
A Training Model was produced in conjunction with Limbs & Things Ltd for teaching urethral and suprapubic catheterisation techniques to medical students and nurses.
The Limbs & Things training model for suprapubic and urethral catheterisation
The model creates a realistic sense of resistance when passing the catheter through the urethral sphincter or through the linea alba when performing urethral or suprapubic catheterisation respectively.
For more information contact Margot Cooper at Limbs & Things
Suprapubic Foley Catheter Introduction Set
Suprapubic insertion usually takes place in hospital under general anaesthetic. This is costly and time consuming and subjects patients to the risk of anaesthetics. The Suprapubic Foley Catheter Introduction Set, developed and produced by Mediplus Ltd, enables insertion to be conducted more easily and under local anaesthetic. It uses the Seldinger technique to introduce a trocar and peel-away sheath into the bladder cavity before passing the catheter through the sheath. The initial introduction of the guidewire through the needle used to administer the local anaesthetic secures the route into the bladder and gives the operator a greater sense of confidence when applying pressure on the trocar. The product is available on the market.
For more details contact James Urie at Mediplus Ltd
Advanced Catheter System
The Advanced Catheter System ( ACS ), invented by Professor Feneley and produced by Mediplus Ltd, is an example of an innovative urine drainage system consisting of a 16 FG silicone catheter that passes from the suprapubic site through the bladder and out of the urethra. The bladder can be drained either from the suprapubic or urethral end of the catheter. The drainage holes in the bladder segment of the catheter ensure that the bladder can be completely emptied without leaving any residual sump of urine. The catheter may be used for continuous bladder irrigation. This catheter was designed to provide an alternative to the Foley catheter for those experiencing recurrent problems such as blockage or bypassing of urine.
The Advanced Catheter System
For more information contact James Urie of Mediplus Ltd.
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