A urodynamic investigation apparatus for receipt of urine from a bladder is provided. The apparatus is characterized by a tubular element, first and second fittings, and a sleeve element, for select passage of urine there through, within the tubular element. The tubular element is characterized by opposing first and second end portions, and a port. The fittings are adapted to be received by the opposing end portions of the tubular element so as to delimit an apparatus chamber. The sleeve element, suspended between the fittings within the chamber, has collapsed and open configurations. The collapsed configuration is indicative of a no urine flow condition, and the open configuration indicative of a urine flow condition, with the sleeve element urine flow condition being a function of pressure applied to the chamber via the port of the tubular element.

A pump for inducing negative pressure in the ureter and/or kidney is provided. The pump is configured to be in communication with at least one lumen of at least one ureteral catheter and to draw fluid from the ureter and/or kidney into the at least one lumen of the at least one ureteral catheter for removal of the fluid from the ureter and/or kidney. The pump is configured to induce negative pressure ranging from about 0.1 mmHg to about 50 mmHg gauge pressure proximate to the pump inlet, and the pump is configured to have an accuracy of about 10 mmHg or less proximate to the pump inlet.

A catheter assembly comprises a catheter, with a proximal end for insertion into the body and a distal end, and a wetting mechanism comprising a base and a body. The body comprises a fluid reservoir. The base and body are rotatable with respect to one another to define a first configuration and a second configuration of the wetting mechanism. The fluid reservoir comprises an opening configured to allow fluid to exit the fluid reservoir to wet the catheter when in the second configuration. The fluid reservoir comprises a sealing element configured to provide a fluid-tight seal between the opening and the base when in the first configuration. The sealing element is resiliently deformed by compression between the base and body and inhibits inadvertent rotation of the base with respect to the body. The catheter is preferably an intermittent male urinary catheter. The sealing element is preferably an O-ring.

A catheter assembly comprises a catheter, a sleeve and a wetting mechanism. The catheter comprising a proximal end for insertion into the body and a distal end. The sleeve is configured to enclose the catheter, and the wetting mechanism is arranged at the proximal end of the catheter. The wetting mechanism comprises a base and a body: the body comprises a fluid reservoir, and the base and body are rotatable with respect to one another to define a first configuration and a second configuration of the wetting mechanism. In the second configuration, the wetting mechanism permits release of fluid from the fluid reservoir into the sleeve to wet the catheter. Preferably, in the first configuration the wetting mechanism inhibits release of fluid from the fluid reservoir into the sleeve. Preferably, the catheter is an intermittent male urinary catheter. Preferably, the body is longer than the base.

A medical device assembly comprises a medical device, such as a urinary catheter, comprising an insertable part and a non-insertable part. The insertable part comprises an elongate shaft provided with a hydrophilic coating or surface. The assembly further comprises a wetting fluid compartment arranged to encircle at least a part of the medical device, and preferably at least a part of the non-insertable part, and an aqueous fluid arranged in the wetting fluid compartment. At least one of the aqueous fluid and the hydrophilic coating or surface comprises at least one surfactant. The hydrophilic coating or surface is maintained essentially separated from the aqueous fluid, and arranged to become wetted by movement of the elongate shaft through the wetting fluid compartment.

Described herein are various embodiments of flexible catheters comprising one or more flexibility regions. In one embodiment, a catheter comprises an elongate body having a proximal segment and a distal segment; a first lumen defined by the elongate body and configured for drainage of a liquid from a bodily region; and a plurality of flexibility regions on or in the distal segment of the elongate body. The plurality of flexibility regions, collectively, is configured to passively bend anteriorly. Further, at least one of the plurality of flexibility regions has a cut depth percentage of about 50% to about 75% of a wall thickness of the elongate body. The features and arrangement of the flexibility regions described herein result in the catheter requiring reduced force during insertion into a bodily lumen.

A urinary catheter with deflectable tip, comprising a hollow catheter body configured to be inserted within the urethra of a patient, the catheter body having an elongate portion, a tip portion near a distal end of the elongate portion and an engagement portion spaced from the distal end where a user can grasp the catheter, the tip portion being deflectable for the purpose of steering the catheter within the urethra to allow the catheter to follow a natural curvature of the urethra, the tip portion being movable from a generally straight condition to a deflected condition wherein deflection of the tip portion occurs while the elongate portion remains generally straight.

A ureteral catheter is provided, including: a drainage lumen including a proximal portion configured to be positioned in at least a portion of a patient's urethra and a distal portion configured to be positioned in a patient's ureter and/or kidney, the distal portion including a coiled retention portion, wherein the retention portion includes at least a first coil having a first diameter and a second coil having a second diameter, the first diameter being less than the second diameter.

Hydration mediums, assemblies containing hydration mediums and methods of making the same.

Examples relate to systems, devices, and methods for removing fluid from a fluid collection device using a portable vacuum source operably coupled thereto. The fluid collection devices include urine collection devices shaped to complement the female or male anatomy near the respective urethras and the vacuum source is operably coupled to the fluid collection device via one or more sections of conduit.