IP Requirements:

• Emory IP

Experience Requirements:

• Mechanical Design

Interventional radiology (IR) and image-guided medicine (IGM) continue to impact patients throughout the world. 

Percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) catheters are essential for patients with obstruction of their urinary collecting systems. In the setting of cancer, chronic disease, and genitourinary reconstruction, these catheters be indwelling in patients for very long periods of time (even for the rest of a patient’s life). In some subset of patients, we can internalize the catheter or provide alternatives. However, many patients have severe pain and discomfort with internalization (such as patients with cervical cancer or prostate cancer). These patients often live with bilateral catheters connected to drainage bags, severely impacting quality of life. The drainage bags themselves are difficult to deal with (need for continual cleaning and drainage along with having to carry them everywhere the patient goes). Most significantly, the nephrostomy catheters entering the back are painful and disrupt sleep for patients laying supine.

At present, there is no ideal solution for this patient population. An ideal solution will be reproducible, safe, and effective. It should be low cost, scalable, and deliverable across the country. It may even impact patients with other types of catheters such as biliary drains, abscess drains, or gastrostomy/jejunostomy catheters. The team will be encouraged to observe procedures in our new state-of-the-art operation at the Winship at Emory Midtown Tower and at the renowned Emory University Hospital and Emory University Hospital Midtown campuses and to think about how this solution can be democratized to move from the subspecialty care of world renown medical centers to community practices to address health inequity through novel devices.