The OpenFlo™ Catheter

The OpenFlo™ catheter is an indwelling urinary catheter specifically designed to address the numerous challenges associated with traditional Foley catheters. The OpenFlo uniquely recreates the body's natural drainage mechanism for urine. In doing so it provides an effective solution to avoid the typical side effects experienced by patients using traditional catheters.

The problem with the Foley catheter...

  • It has an exposed tip

    Traditional catheters utilize a vertical drainage port positioned above the balloon, whose purpose is to anchor the device within the bladder. Normal movement or bladder contraction during voiding causes the catheter's tip to protrude into the dome of the bladder, resulting in mucosal or full thickness damage to the bladder wall.

  • The drainage port is vertical

    • All Foley-type catheters have a drainage port that is positioned perpendicular to the direction of urine flow, running parallel to the bladder walls. As urine drains from the bladder, negative hydrostatic pressure occurs, which causes the bladder walls to be drawn into the drainage ports. This phenomenon can result in pseudo polyp formation, which causes significant pain for the patient, obstructs urine drainage, and may result in necrotic tissue formation-a significant factor in infection creation.

  • The drainage port is elevated

    The position of the drainage port above the balloon in the Foley catheter prevents complete drainage of urine from the bladder. When the urine level drops below the port, drainage ceases, as the balloon acts as a dam. Residual urine remains stagnant until the bladder refills. Stagnant urine provides a breeding ground for bacteria and frequentely leads to infections.

  • It is outdated

    When a indwelling urinary catheter is necessary, patients typically have only one option - the Foley Cathether, a device whose design has remained unchanged since the early 1900s. Althought the Foley is the accepted Gold Standard, the outdated features often result in physical trauma, discomfort, long-term damage and an estimated 13,000 deaths per year in the United States.

How the OpenFlo™ catheter works.

  • Superior function, familiar control

    While the mechanism of the OpenFlo catheter differs fundamentaly from traditional indwelling catheters, its insertion and use are very similar to the Foley Catheter. This similarity allows rapid adoption and transition in use by patients, nurses, and healthcare professionals with minimal additional training or education

  • Its designed for comfort

    The unique design of the OpenFlo catheter with two parallel balloons (side by side) eliminates the protruding tip in Foley catheters and permits the natural process by which the body naturally expels urine from the bladder through the urethra.
  • OpenFlo (Left) vs Foley (Right)

    Its aligned with biology

    The OpenFlo catheter operates in a manner similar to the natural urethra. With the drainage port located at the junction of the bladder and urethra, this facilitates complete and unobstructed urine drainage without fear of damage or perforation of the bladder walls

  • It lowers the risk of infection

    The design of the OpenFlo catheter will prevent damage to the bladder wall that is seen in Foley use and promote complete bladder drainage. Bladder injury, retained urine, and subsequent bladder stone formation, are the primary drivers of Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI). Reducing or eliminating these causes are why we designed the OpenFlo catheter.
Note: This product is not yet FDA approved.