Experience with female external catheters

[Mmededov]

Hello,

We are a group of biomedical engineering students from Illinois Institute of Technology. We are developing a new female external catheter for clinical settings and were wondering if anybody could give us any insight on the current market.

From your experience working with female external catheters, what were the drawbacks of products? What were some key features you appreciated in the design?

Any other feedback on what is given on the market? Any frustrations?

Thank you!

Team Femline

[EllaBella1, BSN]

They are essentially non-existent in clinical practice, at least at the hospitals I've worked at. Our hospital recently demoed the Pure Wick and it was ok. Worked better than having to change incontinence pads frequently, but still leaked, and only worked on patients who were intubated/sedated and not moving around in bed. Very easy to dislodge. We tried them on a few awake patients who told us they were uncomfortable. Would love it if you guys could develop something better!

[Beth1978]

I remember a picture in an old nursing textbook of a pediatric urine collection devise that looked like a funnel made out of saran wrap, it adhered to the skin in the perineal area. That kind of system would seem to reduce the risk of infection from the catheter traveling a possible contaminated area on its way to the bladder.

[smf0903]

And please don't test on a 115-pound, 5'6" woman. The vast majority (at least where I work) are 250-300lb+, edematous women whose thighs are not the size of a baseball bat.

Good luck to your team!!! I hope you come up with something amazing to use :)

[aprilmoss]

The one we have tried (Hollister if I recall) is essentially just a slightly redesigned ostomy bag. It somewhat works, but mechanically it's nowhere near what the male counterpart is.

[Mmededov]

Great insight! Thank you EllaBella1, aprilmoss,smf0903 and Beth1978!