Technologies

The Problem

Catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI) is the most common hospital-acquired infection, affecting 1M patients with 13,000 deaths and $1B in annual healthcare costs in the US. Foley catheters are the standard of care for indwelling catheterization. Infections occur when bacteria from the digestive tract adhere to the urethra and grow in the stagnant space. CAUTI risk with Foley catheters increases to 100% after 30 days. Patient discomfort is high with large tube diameter and balloon retention mechanism. Patient safety is also at risk with accidents pulling the catheter out, damaging the urethra. Additional surgery is needed to repair, adding to health care costs. Recent changes in Medicare reimbursement do not cover CAUTIs, thus shifting the focus to prevention rather than treatment of CAUTI. Decreasing UTIs with indwelling urinary catheters is a clinical need that requires immediate attention.

The Solution: AdvanceCath

AdvanceCath is a hybrid of an indwelling catheter and an external ‘condom catheter’. CAUTIs develop from bacterial colonization on the external surface of catheters with no flow of urine. The warm, moist, stagnant space is ideal for biofilm growth. The device uses the body’s natural mechanism of flushing the urethral wall along with unique design features to reduce bacterial build-up. Its smaller tubing also adds to patient comfort. Fail safe bladder retention mechanism will prevent accidental catheter pulling and reduce patient trauma.

Around 25% of people admitted to the hospital will get a urinary catheter. 25 million indwelling catheters and over 75 million intermittent catheters are sold in the US each year. According to a Global Industry Analysts report, the worldwide market for urinary catheters will reach $2.7 billion in 2015 with strong growth due to an aging population. Approximately 50% of this market is in the US and 30% in Europe.