When oral administration of medication is difficult or impossible, other routes of administration have to be used. In the hospital this usually means intravenous administration, however in other situations this may not always be the most practical solution. Rectal delivery is an alternative that ensures quick and effective absorption.
Hospi Corporation has received FDA clearance for the Macy Catheter, a device very similar to ordinary urinal catheters which allows for rectal administration of liquid medication. It was developed with the hospice in mind, providing a comfortable and discreet way to rectally administer ongoing medications and liquids without repeated invasion of privacy and suppository administration. Further information, from the product page:
Once in place, it can be used for repeat administration of liquid medications in solution or suspension form. The Macy Catheter is comprised of a dual port, dual lumen ballooned tube that is inserted in the rectum just past the rectal sphincter, where the retention balloon is inflated (via the balloon inflation port) to hold the device in place.
The Macy Catheter medication port is specifically designed to be compatible only with oral/enteral connectors, reducing the probability of connection errors. The medication port also features a valve to prevent leakage, and is designed to be non-clogging. The Macy Catheter is designed to expel with defecation, or it can be easily removed prior to a patient’s bowel movement. The balloon is smaller and softer than typical stool in the rectum. The Macy Catheter is intended as a disposable single use device.
Press release: U.S. FDA Grants 510(k) Clearance To Innovative Device For Easy Medication Administration When Patients Are Unable To Swallow…
Product page: Macy Catheter…