Medizinisches Instrument

1,265,033. Catheters. AMERICAN HOSPITAL SUPPLY CORP. 1 Oct., 1969 [21 Nov., 1968], No. 48182/69. Heading A5R. A surgical catheter or probe comprises a flexible transparent insertion tube 1, a flexible sleeve 4, disposed inside the bore of the insertion tube 1 and having an end portion over the end 2 of the tube 1, and being secured to a rigid guide sleeve 6 which surrounds the end 2 of tube 1 in its normal position. The guide sleeve 6 consists of a body engaging shield 7 which secures the rubber sleeve 4 on a tubular section 8 having a finger grip 17 and a second section 9 having a pair of diametrically opposed slots 11 and 12, through which a handle 13 protrudes, the end of the guide sleeve 6 being sealed by a cap 10, allowing the insertion tube 1 to pass through it. The handle 13 is constructed of a rigid tubular segment 14, with a C-shaped crosssection, fixed around the tube 1 and a pair of thumb pads 15, 16 mounted thereon, extend through the slots 11 and 12. To operate, the insertion tube is projected from the guide sleeve 6 by moving the thumb pads 15, 16 towards the finger flange 17 and forces the sleeve 4, against the sides of a body passage e.g. the urethra, until the insertion tube end 2 extends beyond the sleeve 4. Urine can then flow through the channel formed by the insertion tube I, and out through an adaptor 18 joined to its far end. Alternatively a string (22) Fig. 7, can be joined to the sac (19) at the end (25) which has an aperture (27) and during application the sac (19) is not fully removed from the insertion tube 1. The sac (19) is retracted within the insertion tube 1 by the string for determination of bacteria along the body passage. The insertion tube 1 may be curved, Fig. 8 not shown, to facilitate the passage of the tube 1 through the urethra.