All You Need to Know About the UroCycler®

What It Is

The UroCycler® is an automatic cycling anti-reflux valve that is attached to any existing indwelling catheter. Its purpose is to help restore the normal functionality of the bladder. The current product design incorporates this valve along with a drainage tube and a 2000 ml collection bag. The device effectively serves as a “brain” for the catheter and drainage system. A new UroCycler should be installed which each new indwelling urinary catheter.

What It Does

When urine pressure reaches a level that indicates a filled bladder, the ceramic magnets inside the valve separate and open up, allowing the bladder to drain. The UroCycler® then closes and near-normal rhythmic filling and flushing cycles continue.

By allowing the bladder to retain urine, the UroCycler® enables the bladder to wash itself naturally. This helps reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). This medical device is life-changing for the patient and the caregiver alike.

How It Works

The UroCycler® is composed of a pressure-activated valve that is not dependent on volume. It works like this:

The kidneys produce urine which flows into the urinary bladder. As more urine fills the bladder, the pressure inside the bladder increases. The UroCycler® valve senses when the pressure in the bladder reaches 15 to 30 cm of pressure, and at that point, the valve opens, allowing urine to drain out of the bladder and into the attached urine collection bag.

When the UroCycler® valve opens, emptying or washout of the bladder occurs. This is the body's chief defense against UTIs. Bacteria are eliminated; urine pH level is normal.

As the UroCycler® valve repeatedly opens and closes, the bladder's normal filling and voiding pressures are restored. The bladder's muscle elasticity is improved. The bladder essentially "retrains itself", returning towards normal function.

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The Benefits of Using the UroCycler®

The simple, inexpensive design of the UroCycler® holds the potential for many important benefits. These include:

  • Decreasing Bladder Spasms
  • Decreasing Encrustation
  • Decreasing or Eliminating Odors Associated With Stale Urine Build-Up from Urinary Catheterization and Drainage
  • Decreasing Reflux of Microbe-Laden Urine
  • Decreasing the Risk of Catheter-Associated Kidney and Urinary Tract Infections and Dependence on Antibiotic, Antispasmodic Drugs and Pain Killing Medications
  • Decreasing Urinary Retention
  • Improving Bladder Muscle Conditioning and Helping in Bladder Retraining
  • Improving Cleanliness Associated With Changing Drainage Bags
  • Significantly Reducing the Amount of Time It Takes to Change a Drainage Bag.

Potential Buyers of the UroCycler®

People

  • Burn and Wound Patients
  • Dementia Patients
  • Multiple Sclerosis Patients
  • Muscular Dystrophy Patients
  • Obese Patients
  • Patients With Urinary Incontinence and Retention
  • Post-Surgical Patients
  • Spinal Cord Injury Patients
  • Stroke Victims
  • Amputees

Care Providers

Care settings that have used the UroCycler® include:

  • Brain Science Units
  • ICUs
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Nursing Homes
  • Clinics
  • Patient Homes
  • Rehabilitation Centers

Facts About the UroCycler®

  • The product has been FDA 510(K) approved as an anti-reflux valve since 2001.
  • A CE mark has been granted for marketing in the European Union.
  • The UroCycler® can be billed under two different Medicare HCPCS codes — standard bedside drain bags (a4357) and miscellaneous charges (e1399).
  • The device’s proprietors are currently sponsoring an ongoing study to determine the capabilities of automatic bladder management systems (ABMS) in reducing the rate of nosocomial UTIs.
  • More Than 30,000 UroCycler® ABMS units have been sold.
  • Currently, the recommended lifespan for the complete system is up-to 90 days. However, it may be replaced whenever the catheter itself is replaced.

An Award-Winning Medical Device

The UroCycler® was bestowed the Da Vinci Award by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. We are deeply grateful for and humbled by this recognition.