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- Overview of Catheters and Stents
We are developing an oxalate-resistant urinary catheter with funds received under an SBIR grant. Stents and catheters often foster infection and account for the leading side effect of an invasive hospital procedure. One major cause of urinary device infection is encrustation by oxalate crystals on the stent and catheter and subsequent bacterial adhesion. Such devices are also often occluded by oxalate crystals, requiring replacement.
There are approximately one million catheter-associated urinary tract infections that occur each year (involving 10-30% of patients with in-dwelling catheters). Although use of anti-microbial coatings and materials is growing, no anti-oxalate catheter exists.
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