Catheter News and Research

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In medicine, a catheter is a tube that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct, or vessel. Catheters . In most uses, a catheter is a thin, flexible tube ("soft" catheter), though in some uses, it is a larger, solid ("hard") catheter. A catheter left inside the body, either temporarily or permanently, may be referred to as an indwelling catheter. A permanently inserted catheter may be referred to as a permcath.

First human bladder transplant patient thrives one year after surgery

One year after the first human bladder transplant, the patient is thriving and the UCLA Health surgeon who performed the operation already has completed a second successful bladder transplant, laying a solid path for a field of surgery that until now has not been feasible.

24 Jun 2026

Micro and nanorobots could transform blood clot treatment

Newer tethered devices address some of these limitations: the "milli‑spinner" thrombectomy device applies compressive and shear loading to compact a clot to about 10% of its original volume, enabling ultrafast removal even in pulmonary and cerebral arteries (in vitro and porcine studies).

23 Jun 2026

Tiny algae-based robots could improve bladder cancer treatment

Tiny algae-based robots guided by magnets could improve bladder cancer treatment by boosting delivery of chemotherapy drugs into tumours, researchers say.

22 Jun 2026

AI imaging technique detects early endometrial cancer with high accuracy

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer, with more than 69,000 cases diagnosed in the U.S. in 2025 and increasing up to 3% annually.

18 Jun 2026

Novel embolization technique reduces pain from knee osteoarthritis

Embolization of abnormal blood vessels using rapidly resorbable gelatin-based microspheres is safe and provides significant, lasting pain relief and functional improvement for patients with osteoarthritis-related knee pain, according to a new study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

16 Jun 2026

Digital simulations struggle to teach "tacit learning" in medicine

A new correspondence highlights a critical gap in modern medical education, arguing that digital simulations and virtual reality fail to transmit the hands-on "tacit learning" essential for clinical practice.

11 Jun 2026

Eight startups selected to advance heart and brain health technologies

Eight companies have been selected to participate in the American Heart Association Heart and Brain Health Accelerator, a specialty track within the 2026 MedTech Innovator (MTI) Accelerator.

4 Jun 2026

Millions live with undiagnosed heart rhythm disorders – World Heart Rhythm Week 2026 calls for urgent action

Millions of people worldwide are living with undiagnosed heart rhythm disorders that can lead to stroke, heart failure or sudden cardiac death – often with little or no warning.

1 Jun 2026

‘Natural bypass’ of the heart helps doctors avoid risky cardiac surgeries

Your heart already has its own built-in bypass system that predicts whether the heart muscle is alive or dead - according to new research from the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

28 May 2026

Weight loss helps older AF patients slim down, but does not ease symptoms

An 8-month low-calorie diet plus behavioral support helped older adults with overweight or obesity and persistent atrial fibrillation lose weight safely, with no intervention-related serious adverse events. However, the LOSE-AF trial found no meaningful improvement in AF symptoms, rhythm control, AF burden, cardiac remodeling, or further AF procedure rates compared with usual care.

22 May 2026

Study supports reusable catheters as safe and cost-effective alternatives

Reusable catheters are just as safe for patients as single-use ones and do not increase the risk of urinary tract infections, a new study has found.

21 May 2026

Wastewater tracking catches hospital fungus before patients show symptoms

A new UNLV-led wastewater surveillance study brings scientists one step closer in the global race to detect and deter skyrocketing cases of a potentially deadly drug-resistant fungus that puts hospital patients at risk of serious blood, heart, or brain infections.

20 May 2026

Noninvasive brain monitoring reveals hidden oxygen deprivation in ICU patients

In neurological intensive care, it is quickly learned that the brain cannot wait. As the most sensitive organ in the human body, it can sustain irreversible damage after just a few minutes of severe hypoxia.

27 Apr 2026

Ablation can lead to better outcomes for patients with advanced atrial fibrillation

A minimally invasive heart procedure may be a better first-line treatment than medication for people living with advanced forms of atrial fibrillation, according to a major international clinical trial led by researchers at the University of British Columbia.

27 Apr 2026

Email alerts boost valve replacement rates in older patients with aortic stenosis

New data finds older patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) were more likely to receive aortic valve replacement (AVR) and survive when clinicians received automated email notifications with abnormal heart ultrasound results detecting AS.

25 Apr 2026

Blood return system dramatically reduces blood loss during pulmonary thrombectomy

The first comparative analysis from the ENGULF (A Safety and Feasibility Single-Arm Study of a Novel Catheter Thrombectomy Device For the Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism) trial shows that using blood return during continuous aspiration thrombectomy dramatically reduces blood loss by 97%, while maintaining hemodynamic efficacy and improving procedural efficiency.

24 Apr 2026

Newborns carry antibiotic resistance genes within first hours of life

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) – segments of DNA that help bacteria survive the effects of antibiotics – can be present in newborns within the first hours of life, according to research presented at ESCMID Global 2026.

20 Apr 2026

Rural Nebraska dialysis unit closes despite the state’s $219M in rural health funding

The sun was just warming the horizon as Mark Pieper left his house near his cattle ranch on a crisp February morning.

15 Apr 2026

Minimally-invasive stenting effectively treats painful post-thrombotic syndrome

A major multi-site clinical trial co-led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown that post-thrombotic syndrome - a common and often painful complication suffered by many people who have experienced blockages of major veins due to blood clots - can be effectively treated with a minimally invasive procedure.

13 Apr 2026

Study reveals brain mechanisms behind post-stroke urinary incontinence

A new USC-led study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) reveals the neural mechanisms that contribute to urinary incontinence, a common condition affecting stroke survivors that has a significant impact on their quality of life.

13 Apr 2026