Tsikopoulos I, Knight SL, Katsimperis S, Riley C, Helal M, Nobrega R. Acoustic wave device for prevention of recurrent suprapubic catheter blockage in neurogenic bladder. World J Clin Cases 2026; 14(7): 117882 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i7.117882]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Ioannis Tsikopoulos, MD, London Spinal Cord Injury Centre, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, London HA7 4LP, United Kingdom. ioannis.tsikopoulos@nhs.net
Research Domain of This Article
Urology & Nephrology
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Observational Study
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Mar 6, 2026 (publication date) through Mar 5, 2026
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World Journal of Clinical Cases
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2307-8960
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Tsikopoulos I, Knight SL, Katsimperis S, Riley C, Helal M, Nobrega R. Acoustic wave device for prevention of recurrent suprapubic catheter blockage in neurogenic bladder. World J Clin Cases 2026; 14(7): 117882 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i7.117882]
World J Clin Cases. Mar 6, 2026; 14(7): 117882 Published online Mar 6, 2026. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i7.117882
Acoustic wave device for prevention of recurrent suprapubic catheter blockage in neurogenic bladder
Ioannis Tsikopoulos, Sarah L Knight, Stamatios Katsimperis, Claire Riley, Mohamed Helal, Richard Nobrega
Ioannis Tsikopoulos, Sarah L Knight, Claire Riley, Mohamed Helal, Richard Nobrega, London Spinal Cord Injury Centre, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, London HA7 4LP, United Kingdom
Stamatios Katsimperis, Department of Urology II, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 15127, Attikí, Greece
Author contributions: Tsikopoulos I and Knight SL contributed to study design; Tsikopoulos I supervised data collection and drafted the manuscript; Knight SL contributed to data interpretation and revised the manuscript for important intellectual content and language; Katsimperis S, Riley C, and Helal M collected clinical data and contributed to data analysis; Nobrega R contributed to clinical oversight, study conception and critical revision of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: This work was conducted as a product evaluation/service evaluation under the governance framework of the Surgical Innovation, New Technologies and Treatments (SINTT) Committee at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. The evaluation involved a CE-marked medical device already approved for clinical use and did not meet the definition of research, so formal Institutional Review Board approval was not required.
Informed consent statement: All study participants provided informed written consent prior to inclusion in the product evaluation.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
STROBE statement: The authors have read the STROBE Statement-checklist of items, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the STROBE Statement-checklist of items.
Data sharing statement: No additional data are available.
Corresponding author: Ioannis Tsikopoulos, MD, London Spinal Cord Injury Centre, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, London HA7 4LP, United Kingdom. ioannis.tsikopoulos@nhs.net
Received: December 18, 2025 Revised: January 26, 2026 Accepted: February 11, 2026 Published online: March 6, 2026 Processing time: 77 Days and 10.2 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction often requires long-term indwelling catheterisation, which is associated with catheter blockages and catheter-associated urinary tract infections, negatively affecting quality of life and healthcare utilization.
AIM
To evaluate the feasibility and patient-reported outcomes of an acoustic wave device in patients with recurrent suprapubic catheter blockage.
METHODS
This observational product evaluation included patients with neurogenic bladder and recurrent suprapubic catheter blockages. Participants used the UroShield™ device for 12 weeks. Catheter blockages, catheter satisfaction, pain, and sleep quality were assessed at baseline and during follow-up.
RESULTS
Ten patients were enrolled; six completed the 12-week evaluation. A reduction in reported catheter blockages and improvements in catheter satisfaction was observed. Four patients withdrew due to bladder spasms, skin irritation, or device practicality issues.
CONCLUSION
Use of an acoustic wave device was feasible in selected patients and was associated with improved patient-reported outcomes. Findings are preliminary and require confirmation in larger controlled studies.
Core Tip: Recurrent suprapubic catheter blockage is a major burden for patients with neurogenic bladder. This observational product evaluation explored the feasibility and patient-reported outcomes of an acoustic wave device designed to reduce biofilm formation on indwelling catheters. While limited by small sample size and lack of a control group, the findings suggest potential benefits in selected patients and support further controlled investigation.
