WyCath H2O Intermittent Catheterisation Male

WyCath Mitrofanoff Soft Tip Catheter

Yes I know, you aren't meant to advertise on blogs, but when you are competing against the Goliath's of this world, David has to have a voice. Therefore we are shouting from the roof tops our latest addition to the Wymedical range of catheters.

The WyCath Mitrofanoff Soft Tip Catheter, as the name suggests I’ve designed for specific use for Mitrofanoff users who have undergone the surgery and need to drain their bladders through their belly button.

I designed this catheter to help with the insertion into what is often a difficult track and the combination of a soft tip catheter with a slight tapered tip I believe will help navigate the track effectively. Don’t however take my word for it we already have several users who like the catheter and have switched from leading brands due to the soft tip.

The four eyelets in the catheter helps where increased drainage is required and the spacing of the eyelets is designed to prevent the end of the catheter from bending unnecessarily while navigating the Mitrofanoff track.

I hope this helps the people who are unfortunate to have to undergo this often difficult procedure and provide some comfort when catheterising through their stoma.

More details on the catheter can be found here:

http://www.wymedical.com/res/WyCath-Mitrofanoff-Soft-Tip-Catheter.pdf

If you would like more information on the Mitrofanoff procedure then go to our page on the website:

http://www.wymedical.com/cystoplasty-mitrofanoff.php

How are urinary catheters sized?

I'm often asked how are urinary catheters sized and what do the different colour funnels on the catheters mean?

Indwelling and intermittent catheters are sized using a number system and maybe denoted by Charriere (Ch), French gauge (Fg) or French (Fr).

1 Ch, Fg or Fr is equal to 1/3rd of a millimetre therefore a size 12ch would be 4 mm in diameter, measuring the outside width of the catheter tubing.

Each Ch, Fg and Fr is also given a colour coding so identification can be distinguished at a glance.

This sizing is universal, on indwelling foley catheters the size should be written somewhere on the catheter near where it connects to the drainage bag.

Intermittent catheters can be coded by having a coloured funnel. Wymedical catheters and dilators can be differentiated by the different coloured funnels.

Catheter Sizing

Catheter Funnel Colours

What is best practice?

I have been around for nearly 30 years within the field of urology and continence in various different roles. From specialist nurse in urology and setting up a continence advisory service within the NHS to nursing and sales roles or large and smaller companies before choosing to set up Wymedical.

Setting up my own company has been enjoyable if not challenging but one thing that really comes to the forefront is ‘What is best practice?’

When I started my RGN nurse training at Westminster hospital in London attention to detail and best practice were instilled in us, every ward and department had a procedure folder where you could refresh your knowledge. In this day and age you are expected under the NMC code http://www.nmc-uk.org/The-revised-Code/ to ‘Always practise in line with the best available evidence’ yet I continuously come across nurses and carers carrying out procedures differently to how I would have undertaken them. So this comes back to the question, ‘What is best practice?’ and then adds further questions such as ‘How is best practice monitored? Along with ‘Where do people go to gain knowledge?’

I am passionate about wanting to maintain best practice and improve practices, my first step is writing this blog which I hope will get people thinking and provoke discussions in different aspects of continence and urology.

 

Catheters, especially indwelling balloon catheters, major cause of bacteremia

Yet another publication highlighting one of the major causes of bacteremia in hospitals in the US.

 

http://nursing.advanceweb.com/Features/Articles/Catheters-A-Connection-to-Infection.aspx

"Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are the single largest source of bacteremia in hospitalized patients. Urinary tract infections (UTI) currently account for approximately 40% of all HAI's in the U.S., with greater than 80% being attributed to indwelling catheters.3 "

As the article states insurance companies are linking payments to infections putting more pressure on medical services, and restricting payments where fault is identified.

It will be interesting to monitor how this changes or improves practise.

Catheter Innovation

It’s good to see innovation is advancing on all sides including the humble catheter tube.

With the increase in urinary infections and the cost of treating, it’s good to see research is continuing in developing new forms of Catheter design and usage.

While it’s relatively old news I thought I’d share these two areas of research.

http://medcitynews.com/2014/05/catheter-using-visible-light-ward-hospital-acquired-infections/

and

http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/39587/title/Next-Generation--Biofilm-Busting-Catheter/

I suspect there is a long way to go before this becomes common in the hospital environment and the cost is likely to be a challenge if not prohibitive for both designs.

WyCath Meatal Dilators

WyCath Meatal Dilators

The WyCath meatal dilators have a hydrophilic coating to ease insertion, the coating is activated by simply adding tap water to the sleeve of the dilator.

WyCath meatal dilators are 11cm in length and available in 2 styles:

• Standard bullet end
• Tapered tip

Tapered tip- the catheter tapers to approximately 2 charriers smaller than the standard tip or shaft of the catheter enabling an easier insertion into the meatus.