A system for removing fluid from a urinary tract includes: at least one sensor configured to detect signal(s) representative of bioelectrical impedance and communicate signal(s) representative of the impedance; and a controller. The controller is configured to: receive and process the signal(s) from the at least one sensor to determine if the impedance is above, below, or at a predetermined value; and provide a control signal, determined at least in part from the signal(s) representative of the impedance received from the at least one sensor, to a negative pressure source to apply negative pressure to a urinary catheter when the impedance is below the predetermined value and to cease applying negative pressure when the impedance is at or above the predetermined value.

Syringe pump controllers which memorialize the process of hydrodynamic isotonic saline delivery (HIFD) to reverse acute kidney injury are disclosed. In some embodiments, the syringe pump controllers are constructed to control syringe pump(s) to deliver a defined volume of saline at a prescribed perfusion rate while monitoring renal vein pressures during the infusion. In some embodiments, the syringe pump controllers have safety features designed to shut off the infusion if the renal vein pressure goes above set safety limits.

A medical apparatus includes an inflow tube having a first conduit having a first inner diameter. An outflow tube has a second conduit having a second inner diameter. An intermediate tube has a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the inflow tube and the second end connected to the outflow tube. The intermediate tube has a third inner diameter, the third inner diameter being larger than the first inner diameter and the second inner diameter. The intermediate tube defines a flow path. The flow path includes a first flow path configured to direct a liquid flowing along the flow path in a first direction, and a second flow path configured to direct the liquid flowing along the flow path in a second direction. The first direction is opposite to the second direction.

Disclosed herein are systems, devices, and methods for the removal of objects from the body. The device may be a urethral catheter configured to aspirate kidney stones from the urinary tract through one or more aspiration ports at the distal face or along a lateral side of the catheter. The catheter may include one or more irrigation ports at the distal face or along the lateral side of the catheter for dislodging kidney stones. The device may be steerable. The spatial arrangement of the one or more irrigation ports with respect to the one or more aspiration ports may vary. The device may include an irrigation tube and/or a shield member configured to spatially confine the kidney stones adjacent the catheter. Various temporal patterns of aspiration and irrigation are disclosed for optimizing removal of kidney stones.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to catheter assemblies, that include an inner tube component, an outer tube component that fits over the inner tube component, and a disposable layer of film that isolates the otherwise fluid-exposed portions of the catheter from the fluid it drains. This disposable film can be removed at regular intervals and obviates the need for catheter exchanges as the isolating disposable film, rather than the catheter itself, is removed. The principal characteristic of the disposable film is that it is relatively impermeable to fluid, for example, bodily fluids.

Described herein is a shock wave device for the treatment of vascular occlusions. The shock wave device includes an outer covering and an inner member inner connected at a distal end of the device. First and second conductive wires extend along the length of the device within the volume between the outer covering and the inner member. A conductive emitter band circumscribes the ends of the first and second wires to form a first spark gap between the end of the first wire and the emitter band and a second spark gap between the end of the second wire and the emitter band. When the volume is filled with conductive fluid and a high voltage pulse is applied across the first and second wires, first and second shock waves can be initiated from the first and second spark gaps.

A method is provided for facilitating urine output from the kidney, including: (a) inserting a catheter including: a drainage lumen including a distal portion configured to be positioned in a patient's kidney, renal pelvis and/or in the ureter adjacent to the renal pelvis and a proximal portion, the distal portion including a retention portion including a funnel support including at least one sidewall, wherein the funnel support includes a first diameter and a second diameter, the first diameter being less than the second diameter, the second diameter being closer to an end of the distal portion of the drainage lumen than the first diameter, wherein the proximal portion of the drainage lumen is essentially free of or free of openings; and (b) applying negative pressure to the proximal portion of the drainage lumen for a period of time to facilitate urine output from the kidney.

A ureteral catheter includes a drainage lumen having a proximal portion configured to be positioned in at least a portion of a patient's urethra and/or bladder and a distal portion configured to be positioned in a patient's kidney, renal pelvis, and/or in the ureter adjacent to the renal pelvis. The distal portion includes a retention portion for maintaining positioning of the distal portion of the drainage lumen. The retention portion includes a plurality of sections, each section having one or more openings on a sidewall of the retention portion for permitting fluid flow into the drainage lumen. A total area of openings of a first section of the plurality of sections is less than a total area of openings of an adjacent second section of the plurality of sections. The second section is closer to a distal end of the drainage lumen than the first section.

A catheter devices/systems and methods therefrom are described herein for treating acute kidney in-jury, especially the contrast-induced acute kidney injury wherein the devices prevent the contrast dyes from entering into kidney and/or facilitate blood flow of kidney by said catheter system.

Several embodiments of a catheter are described, having a balloon configured to slowly inflate and then quickly deflate to create an area of low pressure in the vessels. The balloon can be cycled near the vessels of the kidneys, thereby helping to draw out blood from the kidneys and enhance fluid processing to the bladder.