Manufacture and clinical employment of an antibiotic silicon-rubber catheter

In order to present or minimize the frequent occurrence of urinary infection and other complications following indwelling catheterization, we devised a drug-releasing silicon catheter. Attached to its tip is an appliance which has a honeycomb pattern with many spaces into which antibiotic particles are inserted. In our series, 28 patients suffering from various conditions were treated accordingly with very gratifying results. Kanamycin is found to be the antibiotic of choice which can be slowly but constantly released when coming into contact with the urine. Following treatment the concentration of kanamycin in urine could be maintained at a level of 25-100 micrograms/ml of urine for a period of 20-24 days, much higher than the therapeutic value of 20 micrograms/ml of urine.