[1] The Macy Catheter is a disposable device approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), consisting of a dual-porl-lumen ballooned tube that is inserted by a clinician into the rectum just past the rectal sphincter.
This small, flexible "semi-retention" balloon exerts very little pressure on the rectal wall, and is designed for safety and comfort, while also allowing the catheter to be easily expelled when the patient needs to defecate.
The catheter utilizes a small flexible silicone shaft, allowing the device to be placed safely and remain comfortably in the rectum for repeated administration of medications or liquids.
The Macy Catheter is useful for patients who cannot swallow, including those near the end of life (an estimated 1.65 million people are in hospice care in the US each year[8]).
[11] After practicing repeated successful interventions involving the application of medication in highly concentrated form to the distal one-third of the rectum, Macy realized the potential implications for hospice and palliative patients worldwide.
[12] The commercial product is protected by two issued U.S. patents and received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration in early 2014.
[28][29][30][31][32][33][34] The Macy Catheter provides a solution to overcome the challenges and leverage the benefits of rectal administration.