An automatic urine disposal system for urinary incontinence: A pilot study with long-term users for effectiveness and safety

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence is a common problem among the elderly and patients with neurologic disability. The conventional urinary incontinence aids, such as urine-absorbing diapers, pads, and indwelling catheters, frequently cause hygienic problems. OBJECTIVE: To study the safety and efficacy of a new automatic urine disposal system that can suction and store the urine in a separate container for future disposal. METHODS: An electromechanical urine disposal system that can collect and transport the urine and cleanse and air-dry the external genitalia was developed. The hygienic effects of using this system were studied in 8 participants after 3 months of use. RESULTS: The caregivers of all 8 patients reported improved hygiene of their patients. None of the patients suffered from decubitus ulcers, and skin erythema was absent in 4 patients, while markedly decreased in the other 4 patients when compared with the use of urine-absorbing diapers. Four patients experienced minor urine leakage that was manageable with concurrent use of either diapers or bed pads. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an electromechanical urine disposal system relieves the caregiver from night care, as the urine is automatically collected and stored for disposal the next day. The system improves the hygiene of the patient, as the urine is immediately suctioned and the external genitalia is cleansed and dried after urination.