Improved Urinary Catheter Design
Project number:
21013
Sponsor:
Jackson Medical
Academic year:
2020-2021
Project Goal: Improve upon current market-standard indwelling urinary catheters by using electric stimulus and attenuate bacteria to reduce infection risk.
Attenuating bacteria and, in turn, reducing the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, or CAUTI, are the main focuses of the Bacteria Attenuating Catheter. Current catheters have sought to address CAUTI with strategies ranging from silver nanoparticle coatings to antibiotic coatings. However, these have drawbacks. Most significantly, current catheters lead to an increase in the antibiotic resistance of bacteria, which can ultimately result in CAUTI.
A new system uses micro-amperage electrical stimulation to attenuate bacteria. Adding this to current market standard catheters reduces the risk of CAUTI by halting the aggregation of planktonic bacteria into biofilm. Analysis and testing of bacterial accumulation on the surface of various test catheters and the media (human pooled urine) yielded the most effective design.
The Bacteria Attenuating Catheter could decrease medical costs of treating CAUTI, which can cost up to $13,000 per incident, and reduce use of the 1.5 million single-use catheters used daily in the United States. It can also address the patient's needs while functioning as expected.
Attenuating bacteria and, in turn, reducing the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, or CAUTI, are the main focuses of the Bacteria Attenuating Catheter. Current catheters have sought to address CAUTI with strategies ranging from silver nanoparticle coatings to antibiotic coatings. However, these have drawbacks. Most significantly, current catheters lead to an increase in the antibiotic resistance of bacteria, which can ultimately result in CAUTI.
A new system uses micro-amperage electrical stimulation to attenuate bacteria. Adding this to current market standard catheters reduces the risk of CAUTI by halting the aggregation of planktonic bacteria into biofilm. Analysis and testing of bacterial accumulation on the surface of various test catheters and the media (human pooled urine) yielded the most effective design.
The Bacteria Attenuating Catheter could decrease medical costs of treating CAUTI, which can cost up to $13,000 per incident, and reduce use of the 1.5 million single-use catheters used daily in the United States. It can also address the patient's needs while functioning as expected.
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