I have been a product manager at Medline for almost a year and a half, and I am responsible for the respiratory therapy, anaesthesia, and urology product lines. So far, I have worked on the key launches of Medline’s respiratory and urology divisions, as well as incoming new projects. In this article, we will talk about our urological solutions.
Urinary tract infections associated with bladder gavage (UTI-SV) are amongst the most common healthcare-related infections (HRIs). And although protocols exist to help prevent UTI-SV, good practices are not always implemented due to the high number of competing priorities. Medline’s range of urology products is the result of innovation and constant research efforts to cover all the needs of our patients. Backed by clinical evidence, our portfolio of urological products offers optimal treatment and comprehensive service—with a full range of measures, especially for transurethral and suprapubic urinary drainage and urethral tubes.
Therapies for urological health
Within our range of products aimed at enhancing therapies and care in urology, you’ll find:
- Solutions to help prevent urinary tract infections associated with the use of catheters or urinary tubes (UTI-SV), such as catheter exchange kits
- Various Foley and intermittent catheters to suit patients’ needs
- Urological drainage solutions for use during hospital or home stay.
Product groups
Prevention of UTI-SU
Prevention is better than cure. Therefore, in order to protect the health of patients, we try to prevent urinary tract infections associated with the use of catheters or urinary tubes (UTI-SV), as best as possible. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) recommends different tools to prevent UTI-SV. These include:
- Strict catheterisation protocols to reduce unnecessary use
- Product standardisation
- Maintenance of catheter sterility
- Timely removal of catheters.¹
With so many simultaneous priorities, best practices are not always applied. These infections are usually caused by bacteria entering the bladder during catheter insertion, or due to a failure of the closed drainage system. The daily incidence rate of patients who develop bladder tube-associated urinary tract infections (UTI-SV) ranges from 3% to 10%. After a 30-day stay, most patients have bacteriuria (bacteria present in the urine). Overall, 80% of nosocomial urinary tract infections are associated with catheter use.¹
With the use of sterile catheter exchange (EO) kits, along with consistent application of best practices, it is possible to reduce the rate of infection in patients during the placement or replacement of the urinary catheter. With these kits, Medline offers a solution for UTI-SV reduction that is tailored to the specific needs of your facility.
Product highlight: Urinometer
As the flagship product of our range of urology products, we will highlight the urinometer, an instrument for measuring urine. The main function of the urinary system is to maintain fluid balance, filtering blood and producing urine. Urine production is, therefore an essential part of fluid balance and facilitating effective waste elimination. In intensive care medicine, it is important to monitor vital aspects (breathing, circulation, elimination) over a 24-hour period to prevent organ failure (kidneys, gallbladder). The UROSID® urine measurement system is equipped with additional graduated chambers to facilitate the monitoring of urine output, even in cases where there is very little urine.
- What is the usefulness of the urinometer? – To manage your patient’s fluid control (e.g. after surgery)
- When is it used? – During intensive care application
- How does it work? – After measuring urine collected in the chamber, tilt the chamber upward to empty the contents into the attached urinary bag
Do you want to know more about the urinometer or our urological solutions? You can download our urological solutions brochure here.
Paula Pérez-Villacastín Serrano
Product Manager, Respiratory, Anaesthesia and Urology Therapies, Iberia
Paula, originally from Spain, completed an international master’s degree in health economics and pharmaeconomics. She has dedicated seven years of her career to working with medical devices, before joining Medline. So far, she has worked on the key launches of Medline’s respiratory and urology divisions, with additional key projects to come. Paula is passionate about her culture and fellow Spaniards and loves travelling, going on new adventures and participating in team sports.
References:
1. https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/Infekt/Krankenhaushygiene/Kommission/Downloads/CAUTI_2015.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
6 February 2024
