Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.

Richard E Hannah

Steffen Lyons

A method of making a curved-tip (coude) catheter which comprises: inserting an end of a flexible, thermoplastic tube into the bore of a closed-end, hollow, tubular die which defines the desired curve of the curved-tip catheter. The tubular die is heated to a temperature above the plastic melt temperature of the thermoplastic tube, while advancing the tube into the die, to cause at least about 0.5 cm. of the tube end to collapse into a generally solid, curved mass. The die and tube contained therein are then cooled to a temperature below the plastic melt temperature, and the tube is withdrawn having a closed, formed coude tip.

Apparatus for making coude catheters

An apparatus for suspending a drainage bag from a patient's bed or other structure, so fluid can be drained from the patient into the bag. The apparatus includes a hanger to which the bag can be attached and a hook for securing the hanger with the attached bag to the bed rail. The hanger has a bag support spar, L-shaped arms depending therefrom, a clip on the free end of one of the arms, and a connector on the free end of the other arm, so that insertion of one of the arms into a slotted portion of the bag and then insertion of the connector into the clip secures the bag onto the hanger. The hook has an arm attachable to a tab on the hanger and other arms for securing the hook to the bed rail. The arms are constructed so that the hanger and hook can cooperate to suspend the bag in a vertical plane with respect to the ground. In one embodiment of the apparatus, the arm of the hook attachable to the hanger is semicircular. Irrespective of the orientation of the hook on the rail, the bag support spar of the hanger and the suspended bag lie in such a vertical plane because the tab of the hanger is free to rotate about the semicircular arm of the hook.

Apparatus for suspending a drainage bag

A method of making a elbowed end (coude) catheter which comprises: inserting an end of a flexible, thermoplastic tube into the bore of a closed-end, hollow, tubular die which defines the desired curve of the elbowed end catheter. The tubular die is heated to a temperature above the plastic melt temperature of the thermoplastic tube, while advancing the tube into the die, to cause at least about 0.5 cm. of the tube end to collapse into a generally solid, curved mass. The die and tube contained therein are then cooled to a temperature below the plastic melt temperature, and the tube is withdrawn having a closed, formed coude tip.

Method and apparatus for making coude catheters

Improved valves for use within medical devices include a valve body having a plurality of fluid-passing openings, a resilient liner having raised portions defining flow paths, and a plug having a configuration generally complementary to that of the liner, at least a portion of the plug generally overlying the liner for maintaining raised portions of the liner in sealing engagement with the valve body in a manner that enhances valve integrity as to leakage while simultaneously improving valve operation by providing easy rotation of the plug and liner with respect to the valve body. The in-use illustrated embodiment of the valve is on a urine drainage device, the valve being interposed between a relatively rigid urine flow monitoring and measuring chamber and a flexible collection receptacle, the valve permitting flow path selections for retaining urine within the measuring chamber or for flowing urine therefrom into the flexible collection receptacle or through a sampling port.

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Spring Grove, IL, United States of America

Richard E Hannah