DirectVision for Urinary Catheterization
DirectVision for Urinary Catheterization
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one in four patients
 hospitalized in the United States is catheterized to void the bladder or monitor urinary
 output. In the male population, Dr. Singh, an urologist estimates that about 20% of
 catheterizations are difficult. Driving a catheter blindly, guessing whether to push the
 catheter forward or manipulate it to get around a point of resistance leads to the risk of
 injury which increases the more the catheter is manipulated. Additional adverse events
 include: urosepsis, UTI and bladder perforation. The standard of care treatment for patients
 with difficult urinary catheterization (DUC) is to proceed with a cystoscopic catheter
 placement or suprapubic tube placement.

 PercuVision has the only Foley catheter with a micro-endoscope for visualization and
 navigation of the urethra for nurses and other qualified health care professionals. Moreover,
 it allows urologists to place a guidewire under direct vision rather than calling for a
 flexible cystoscope which is considered a minor procedure.

 In this study, the investigators plan on assessing the effectiveness and ease of use of the
 PercuVision DirectVision® System device.
Routine placement of transurethral catheters can be challenging in some situations, such as
 urethral strictures, severe phimosis and false passages. Intravaginal retraction of the
 urethral meatus can complicate Foley placement in postmenopausal females. In men, blind
 urethral procedures with mechanical or metal sounds without visual guidance or guidewire
 assistance are now discouraged due to the increased risk of urethral trauma and false
 passages.

 DirectVision is a new visually-guided catheterization device (VGCD) that uses a camera visual
 guide / microendoscope within a triple lumen flexible urinary catheter with an angled tip,
 essentially combining the functionality of a urinary catheter with a cystoscope. DirectVision
 uses fiber-optic bundle of 6,000 integrated fibers to provide illumination and transmit
 real-time video.

 Procedures done via flexible cystoscopy or DirectVision are covered by insurance (including
 Medicaid/Medicare).

 In this prospective study, the investigators plan on assessing the effectiveness and ease of
 use of DirectVision - A direct visualization system for urinary catheterization.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Any patient over 18 years with a standard indication for difficult urinary
 catheterization

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Any patient younger than 18 years of age, pregnant patients