Urethral Health - The First Line of Defense
A healthy urethra is important in UTI prevention.
Cells lining a healthy urethra provide two levels of defense against invading bacteria2,3:
- A physical barrier stops bacteria from invading.
- Immunological molecules destroy bacteria, remove infected cells and prevent adhesion to the cell wall.
Damage from repeated catheter use can weaken the urethral defense, increasing the risk of UTIs.5,6
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Repeated catheter use causes irritation and damage to the soft urethral tissue
- This irritation allows bacteria to colonize the space created between cells causing UTIs
"If you think about [people] using these products multiple times a day. So this pain, this discomfort, this micro trauma is happening multiple times a day."
Jane Burns
Research Fellow and Pharmacist, Queen’s University Belfast
We care about protecting your urethral health as much as you do. It’s why we created FeelClean Technology™.
Traditional hydrophilic catheters are coated with PVP, which attracts water to make it slippery when wet.
But as the coating dries, it becomes sticky and these catheters can stick to your urethra during use.7,8
GentleCath™’s hydrophilic properties are integrated into the catheter so there’s no need for a coating.
This means there is no risk of sticking or damage and discomfort due to the coating during catheterization.9
Protects the Urethra due to no sticking*
Designed to reduce discomfort, bleeding and the risk of UTIs*,**
Minimal mess and residue*
FeelClean Technology™
GentleCath Glide™ with FeelClean Technology™ provides the solution
GentleCath Glide™ with FeelClean Technology™ is the first and only catheter where the slippery hydrophilic properties are integrated inside the catheter itself rather than having a sticky coating.
References: *Pollard D, Allen D, Irwin N J, Moore J V, McClelland N, McCoy C P. Evaluation of an Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant as an Alternative to Traditional Polyvinylpyrrolidone Coatings for Hydrophilic Intermittent Urinary Catheters. Biotribology. 2022;32(Dec 2022):100223. **In vitro data on file 1. Engberg S, Clapper J, McNichol L, Thompson D, Welch VW, Gray M. Current Evidence Related to Intermittent Catheterization: A Scoping Review. J Wound Ostomy Cont Nurs Off Publ Wound Ostomy Cont Nurses Soc. 2020;47(2):140-165. doi:10.1097/WON.0000000000000625 2. Jafari NV, Rohn JL. The urothelium: a multi-faceted barrier against a harsh environment. Mucosal Immunol. 2022;15(6):1127-1142. doi:10.1038/s41385-022-00565-0 3. Khandelwal P, Abraham SN, Apodaca G. Cell biology and physiology of the uroepithelium. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2009;297(6):F1477-1501. doi:10.1152/ajprenal.00327.2009 4. Abraham SN, Miao Y. The nature of immune responses to urinary tract infections. Nat Rev Immunol. 2015;15(10):655-663. doi:10.1038/nri3887 5. Werneburg GT. Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections: Current Challenges and Future Prospects. Res Rep Urol. 2022;14:109-133. doi:10.2147/RRU.S273663 6. Jacobsen SM, Stickler DJ, Mobley HLT, Shirtliff ME. Complicated catheter-associated urinary tract infections due to Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2008;21(1):26-59. doi:10.1128/CMR.00019-07 6. Catheter Care Guidance for Health Care Professionals Royal College of Nursing. The Royal College of Nursing. Published July 27, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2023. https://www.rcn.org.uk/Professional-development/publications/catheter-care-guidance-for-health-care-professionals-uk-pub-009-915. 7. Waller L, Telander M, Sullivan L. The importance of osmolality in hydrophilic urethral catheters: a crossover study. Spinal Cord. 1997;Apr;35(4):229-233 8. Pollard D, Allen D, Irwin N J, Moore J V, McClelland N, McCoy C P. Evaluation of an Integrated Amphiphilic Surfactant as an Alternative to Traditional Polyvinylpyrrolidone Coatings for Hydrophilic Intermittent Urinary Catheters. Biotribology. 2022;32(Dec 2022):100223 9. Alexandridis P. Amphiphilic copolymers and their applications. Current Opinion in Colloid Interface Science. 1996; 1(6)):490-501.
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Adjusting to cathing can be tough, with a range of practical, physical and emotional challenges. You don’t have to figure it out alone.
