Friday Catheter History

When the product was invented and its purpose
The Foley catheter was created by American urologist Frederick Foley and it was invented to provide continuous drainage of the bladder.
Who uses the product
A Foley catheter is used for anyone that has urinary problems, but mainly Males
Such as straining to urinate
Urethral obstructions
Prostate cancer
Emptying of bladder
How has the product affected society The Foley Catheter has allowed for people to excrete their urine. Not being able to excrete your urine can cause higher chances of urinary retention, not being able to empty your bladder completely, Urinary tract infections, your bladder will fill up until it bursts open inside your body, and you won’t get rid of the waste and excess water

18th century - Catheters are now made out of rubber.
19th century - Rubber vulcanization was made.
After WW2 - Sterile catheterization was made.
Why they were made
This improvement made catheters more comfortable to insert.
These were developed to make catheter insertions in males easier by navigating more easily past tight spots and restrictions along the urethra.
Rubber makes it easier to insert a catheter and was more flexible.
Rubber vulcanization improved the firmness and durability of the catheter since rubber catheters were weak and had a tendency to break down at body temperatures, leaving debris in the urethra and bladder.
This was made to sterilize catheters and therefore reduce infections.
Where is science and tech currently taking this device
Current modifications to the design are making them have antiseptic and antimicrobial coatings. Some have a third channel to infuse saline. There have also been efforts to make the surface as smooth as possible to reduce bacterial infections.
What future adaptations are being considered
There has been an effort to replace the foley catheter due to its age and problems that the device has such as
Bacterial colonization
Chronic