‘"Indwelling bladder catheters are
used in enormous numbers to relieve urinary retention and to manage long-term
urinary incontinence. The number of patients undergoing this form of bladder
management is so large that catheter-associated urinary tract infection is
the most common of the infections that are acquired in hospitals and other
health care facilities"’
Polymer surface properties and their effect on the adhesion
of Proteus mirabilis.
Morris,
N. S., Downer, A., Feast, W. J. and Stickler, D. J., Proc.Instn Mech. Engrs,Vol 217, Part H: J. Engineering in Medicine, 279-289 (2003).
School of Biosciences, Cardiff University IRC in
Polymer Science and Technology, Durham University.
Our
Proposition
RANIER Technology Limited
has developed a totally new and novel urinary catheter which overcomes many
of the shortcomings of the current Foley catheter widely used across the world.
The internal drainage lumen of the RANIER catheter is much larger than for latex or silicone catheters whilst still retaining the same external dimensions. The absence of a retention balloon also means that the obligatory inflation lumen associated with the balloon is not required. Therefore the catheter wall can be much thinner than latex or silicone products and have a large cylindrical inner lumen as opposed to a smaller offset cylindrical or crescent cross section lumen. This allows for rapid voiding of the bladder and potentially improved encrustation resistance.
The design of the catheter facilitates full voiding of the bladder and prevents potential sumping, where the urine is not fully drained from the bladder due to the high position of the drainage eyelets on the balloon catheters. Incomplete drainage of the bladder has been shown to increase the probability of bladder colonisation by proteus bacteria and increase the chances of encrustation and blockage of the catheter. The catheter is also designed to conform to the anatomy of the bladder neck, providing a better seal between the catheter and mucosa and decreasing the bypass of urine around the catheter.
As the RANIER catheter can be decreased in diameter during placement and removal it will be less traumatic to the urethra, especially if a RANIER lubricious coating is incorporated in the final product.
Current Development
Status
Pre-clinical trials have been undertaken. Initial prototype devices have been produced and a leading UK University has
evaluated the catheters in a laboratory bladder drainage model. The results
are outlined in the report ‘Studies on the Performance of a Prototype
RANIER Urinary Catheter’ by Sasha Newman, Dr N Morris and Dr D J Stickler
(Oct 2001). The report indicates that the catheters in the drainage model
took 3 times as long to block as any of the conventional latex or silicone
catheters it was compared to.
Intellectual Property
RANIER has an international patent application covering the design and manufacture
of the urinary catheter. RANIER has intellectual property covering the manufacture
of coatings that could be used to provide lubricity to the catheter surface.
Commercialisation
There is a large market, globally valued at around $600 million. RANIER would
expect to reach a license and royalty agreement with a global partner to exploit
the intellectual property.
