Catheter question

I've always been a ziplock man myself but the recent thread got me
considering catheters.

My ship has a fitting for connecting a catheter. The fitting is connected
to a tube that ends at the trailing edge of one of the gear doors. The
fitting has a rubber O-ring and looks like another fitting on the tube
leading from the condom-like part of the catheter should just snap onto it.

I went Googling male external catheters and found pic of most of the parts
(condom thing, leg bag, valve btwn condom & leg bag), but no descriptions or
images of the connectors. Given my ships layout, there's no place to put
the leg bag that wouldn't be uphill. Any words of wisdom from catheter
users? Are they all made w/quick connects to the bags? Should I just buy a
box of the condoms and the bag and use the tubing to re-plumb the ship?

Probably have the receptacle from Tim Mara.
http://www.wingsandwheels.com/page42.htm

Bottom of page.. Those are the ones I use. The "male" end, as you
suspected just snaps in to the receptacle you have. The tip of the
catheter is just the right size to be a stretch fit over the barbed end
of the male fitting.



They are made by Colder Products.
http://www.colder.com/asp_main/MedicalProducts.asp PLC Series about
halfway down the page.



Mcmaster-Carr also carries them under the heading "Quick Disconnect Tube
Couplings"



But go ahead and get just get them from Tim. Let's support our soaring
supplies dealers!



Larry -- zero one -





"303SAM" wrote in message
:

I've always been a ziplock man myself but the recent thread got me
considering catheters.

My ship has a fitting for connecting a catheter. The fitting is connected
to a tube that ends at the trailing edge of one of the gear doors. The
fitting has a rubber O-ring and looks like another fitting on the tube
leading from the condom-like part of the catheter should just snap onto it.

I went Googling male external catheters and found pic of most of the parts
(condom thing, leg bag, valve btwn condom & leg bag), but no descriptions or
images of the connectors. Given my ships layout, there's no place to put
the leg bag that wouldn't be uphill. Any words of wisdom from catheter
users? Are they all made w/quick connects to the bags? Should I just buy a
box of the condoms and the bag and use the tubing to re-plumb the ship?

One thing to watch out for is where the urine goes once it is outside
the aircraft as it is very corrosive to metal parts. During my annual
yesterday we found some unusual corrosion on the aileron bellcrank
mount. All other controls are in great shape. There is a drain hole in
the fusilage just aft of the gear doors and the drain tube termination.
I am speculating that some of the urine 'mist' may be getting inside
the fusilage and causing the corrosion. The mount is directly aft of
this drain hole and of course inside the fusilage.

I have also heard from other pilots of corrosion in the wheel and brake
areas due to this problem.

Of course you can prevent or remedy this problem. I am going to plug
the drain hole and the wheel problem could be remedied with regular
cleaning. The point is that you need to beware of where on your
aircraft the urinne may be depositied and take care of it.

I really think a catheter is the way to go because you need to nothing
else but think about it and it is done! But I am now thinking I may
have the tube go into a baggie filled with an absorbant material
instead of releasing the urine under the glider.

A few comments;

1) The combination of a catheter and urine bag is the way to go (no pun
intended) in my book. When you need to go, there is no thinking about
it or fiddling with anything. Well...maybe some thinking

2) The bag has a one way valve at the inlet side and a twist lock drain
at the outlet end. It guarantees whatever has flowed into the bag,
will remain in the bag.

3) I often have the urine bag uphill from the "point of effluence".
Every cathether based system has this "issue" to a certain extent.
But, because the whole thing is sealed, this has never been an issue
with me. With a bag, after landing I can stand up and drain the whole
shooting match end-to-end. If you are embarassed by an exposed bag, I
have in the past strapped the bag to my calf with the elastic straps
that are provided with every bag.

4) Between the bag and the catheter I use surgical hose. There is a
barbed connector that comes with the bag. The catheter is basically
also a hose fitting. Therefore you need a male-to-male barbed
connector (jeez, that sounds nasty) to make the final connection.

5) I never went with the external relief tubing as my glider is
standard certified and I was worried about any modification.

6) My first effort to get myself equipped was at a medical supply
store. After spending some time explaining why a pilot would need
something that is generally relegated to geriatric wards, the clerk was
able to help me with all my initial needs, connectors, bags, etc.

7) Stick with Mentor brand Clear Advantage with Aloe. Get ahold of
some Detachol if you are worried about the seperation of you from the
catheter.

Give it a try, you can always go back to your current method. Good
luck.

Far too complicated.

I use bio-degradable plastic bags. Pee into and pop out of the window.

"ContestID67" wrote in message
ups.com...
A few comments;

1) The combination of a catheter and urine bag is the way to go (no pun
intended) in my book. When you need to go, there is no thinking about
it or fiddling with anything. Well...maybe some thinking

2) The bag has a one way valve at the inlet side and a twist lock drain
at the outlet end. It guarantees whatever has flowed into the bag,
will remain in the bag.

3) I often have the urine bag uphill from the "point of effluence".
Every cathether based system has this "issue" to a certain extent.
But, because the whole thing is sealed, this has never been an issue
with me. With a bag, after landing I can stand up and drain the whole
shooting match end-to-end. If you are embarassed by an exposed bag, I
have in the past strapped the bag to my calf with the elastic straps
that are provided with every bag.

4) Between the bag and the catheter I use surgical hose. There is a
barbed connector that comes with the bag. The catheter is basically
also a hose fitting. Therefore you need a male-to-male barbed
connector (jeez, that sounds nasty) to make the final connection.

5) I never went with the external relief tubing as my glider is
standard certified and I was worried about any modification.

6) My first effort to get myself equipped was at a medical supply
store. After spending some time explaining why a pilot would need
something that is generally relegated to geriatric wards, the clerk was
able to help me with all my initial needs, connectors, bags, etc.

7) Stick with Mentor brand Clear Advantage with Aloe. Get ahold of
some Detachol if you are worried about the seperation of you from the
catheter.

Give it a try, you can always go back to your current method. Good
luck.

I'll second that regarding corrosion. Cost me a gear rebuild and later,
after repositioning the exit to the bottom of the gear door, I believe
that some was being drawn into the rudder hinge area (LS-6) but can't
confirm that.

The catheter and bag works. The seal on self-sealing cathers works fine
and keeps it a closed system. No flow back even if the bag is on the
same level. I found the area under my calf worked great for the bag.
My calf never touched it.

I was always a bit to big in the small cockpits to figure out how a
ziplock is used but it clearly works fine for many pilots in many ships
(until they **#$%^ spill one).

I suggest keeping the bag until landing. My first experiments with
tossing bags failed in multiple ways. 'Nuff said there.

1980s experience from Foureyes.

Go wrote:
One thing to watch out for is where the urine goes once it is outside
the aircraft as it is very corrosive to metal parts. During my annual
yesterday we found some unusual corrosion on the aileron bellcrank
mount. All other controls are in great shape. There is a drain hole in
the fusilage just aft of the gear doors and the drain tube termination.
I am speculating that some of the urine 'mist' may be getting inside
the fusilage and causing the corrosion. The mount is directly aft of
this drain hole and of course inside the fusilage.

I have also heard from other pilots of corrosion in the wheel and brake
areas due to this problem.

Of course you can prevent or remedy this problem. I am going to plug
the drain hole and the wheel problem could be remedied with regular
cleaning. The point is that you need to beware of where on your
aircraft the urinne may be depositied and take care of it.

I really think a catheter is the way to go because you need to nothing
else but think about it and it is done! But I am now thinking I may
have the tube go into a baggie filled with an absorbant material
instead of releasing the urine under the glider.

Maule Driver wrote:
I'll second that regarding corrosion. Cost me a gear rebuild and later,
after repositioning the exit to the bottom of the gear door, I believe
that some was being drawn into the rudder hinge area (LS-6) but can't
confirm that.

Careful thought needs to be made in terms of positioning the exit - it
needs to be in a low pressure area and positioned so that it doesn't
then risk contaminating corrodible parts.

Our Nimbus 2c has the exit in centre of the lower starboard quadrant of
the cockpit 'bulge', just aft of the widest point (i.e. low pressure
area). The only potential metal in that flow is the tail wheel assembly.
Not only have we not had any problems there, there is no trace of dried
urine on the skin of the aircraft.

Whilst I have used bags in other aircraft when cross country
instructing, having a plumbed in system makes for much more comfortable
flying.

As for catheters, I (and no pilot I know of here in Aus) uses the
adhesive tape that comes with the external catheters (known locally and
rather politically incorrectly as 'Irish condoms'). They seal perfectly
when rolled far enough down the penis.

The only problems I have experienced in removing them have revolved
around rolling pubic hair into them during the removal. I have decided
that a judicious shave is the answer to that problem!

--
Robert Hart
+61 (0)438 385 533 http://www.hart.wattle.id.au

You must be 1) more coordinated that I am and 2) larger that I am.

I simply cannot get my "equipment" exposed and aimed into a bag, while
flying, and while lying prone.

This may sound complicated but it really isn't. Flying safely is
complicated.

Regarding 'low pressure' area. My six had been rather crudely modified
by the previous owner with a waste tube that exited in front of the gear
door area. Whether or not that particular spot was low pressure or not
didn't seem to matter. My personal plumbing in those years had positive
pressure at the source. The problem was that the gear well, despite
sealing, was a low pressure area and was sucking corrosive urine up into
the entire gear mechanism.

Obviously an exit anywhere in front of the gear well would be ill
advised on that ship.

After a rebuild, we mounted the tube on the bottom of a gear door so I
could open the gear when needed and extend the discharge point 5 inches
or so away from the fuse. Did the aerodynamics work for that?
Probably. That was about as much engineering as I was willing to do to
facilitate a pee.

If 'ol Foureyes cycled his gear while above you in the gaggle, you
weren't one of his favorites.

Robert Hart wrote:
Maule Driver wrote:

I'll second that regarding corrosion. Cost me a gear rebuild and
later, after repositioning the exit to the bottom of the gear door, I
believe that some was being drawn into the rudder hinge area (LS-6)
but can't confirm that.


Careful thought needs to be made in terms of positioning the exit - it
needs to be in a low pressure area and positioned so that it doesn't
then risk contaminating corrodible parts.

Our Nimbus 2c has the exit in centre of the lower starboard quadrant of
the cockpit 'bulge', just aft of the widest point (i.e. low pressure
area). The only potential metal in that flow is the tail wheel assembly.
Not only have we not had any problems there, there is no trace of dried
urine on the skin of the aircraft.

Whilst I have used bags in other aircraft when cross country
instructing, having a plumbed in system makes for much more comfortable
flying.

As for catheters, I (and no pilot I know of here in Aus) uses the
adhesive tape that comes with the external catheters (known locally and
rather politically incorrectly as 'Irish condoms'). They seal perfectly
when rolled far enough down the penis.

The only problems I have experienced in removing them have revolved
around rolling pubic hair into them during the removal. I have decided
that a judicious shave is the answer to that problem!

ContestID67 wrote:
You must be 1) more coordinated that I am and 2) larger that I am.

I simply cannot get my "equipment" exposed and aimed into a bag, while
flying, and while lying prone.

Ah - perhaps I should have elaborated...

I have used 'plumbed' pee bags. This means I wear an external catheter
which is attached to the 'deflated' pee bag by a tube. It is essential
to connect this up the right way as the valves on the pee bag are 'non
return' and so if connected backwards you end up with a balooning
catheter (quickly followed by a wet parachute)!!!

--
Robert Hart
+61 (0)438 385 533 http://www.hart.wattle.id.au