In a significant innovation for pediatric healthcare, a team of doctors and engineers at King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, has developed a patented device to streamline and improve urine collection from infants. The device, named the IFT Uro Bag Connector, is designed to provide a hygienic, accurate, and efficient solution for connecting pediatric catheters to urine collection bags.
The invention is the result of a collaborative effort by Dr. J.D. Rawat, Head of the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. Anand Pandey, and biomedical engineer Sumit Kumar Vaishya. According to Dr. Rawat, prior to this innovation, healthcare providers often relied on adhesive materials to connect infant catheters to urine bags—a practice prone to leakage, contamination, and imprecise measurements.
Accurate urine output measurement is a critical component in diagnosing various medical conditions in infants, especially those with congenital disorders. “Many newborns require regular urine analysis as part of ongoing monitoring and treatment,” said Dr. Pandey. “The lack of a standardized, leak-proof connector posed significant challenges in neonatal and pediatric intensive care units.”
The newly developed IFT Uro Bag Connector addresses these issues by securely linking infant feeding tubes, which are commonly used as catheters, with larger urine collection bags. This enables reliable 24-hour urine output measurement without the risk of disconnection or spillage.
Engineer Sumit Kumar Vaishya highlighted that the connector was designed with both ease of use and cost-effectiveness in mind. “It’s a simple yet impactful tool that enhances the overall functionality of urine collection systems for infants,” he said.
The device has now received official patent protection, marking it as a unique contribution to pediatric healthcare technology. The KGMU team believes this innovation will significantly benefit hospitals, especially in neonatal and critical care units, by improving diagnostic accuracy and reducing infection risks associated with traditional methods.
As the demand for safer, more efficient pediatric medical devices grows, the IFT Uro Bag Connector stands out as a promising, locally developed solution with the potential for wide adoption across India and beyond.