A path to safer #catheterisation:

Botanical compounds, that we call cPACs exist in nature and having been patented by UroPharma for #urinarytract use, are being investigated by the company.

They are for incorporation into a #lubricant urethral gel for safer urinary catheterisation, because the first line of defence against CAUTI is to prevent the bacteria getting into the bladder in the first place!

#Urinary #catheters are such essential clinical tools that over a billion units are used annually with numbers increasing year on year.

Unfortunately, catheter acquired #UTI (#CAUTI) is common, risky and inordinately costly to healthcare, especially through post-op UTI and its sequelae, #urosepsis.

The problem with catheter coatings appears to be that, to produce their effect, #bacteria must have time to absorb the toxin before they jump off the catheter to enter the bladder, but their exposure times to the coatings are too short for effect.

A substance within a urethral gel that could receive the catheter and entrap bacteria on it to prevent their transit into the bladder should reduce the microbial risking #cystitis.

E coli initiates invasion

E coli adheres to epithelial cell

Inhibition of cell invasion.

#inhibition of cell invasion with PACS

E coli and PACS 3D image

Figure 1:  Scanning electron microscopy images show pathogenic E. coli (strain 5011) before c-PACs exposure. Figure 2: and after the addition of cPACs (80 μg GAE/mL). The compounds form a web-like network resulting in physical entrapment of pathogenic E. coli (strain 5011).