Finite element modeling of the male urethra

Abstract

Catheters are used on millions of individuals each year, predominantly on men, leading to a variety of catheterization related injuries. The need for improved catheter designs is urgent and only rising in necessity due to the aging population. The objective of this thesis is to develop a three-dimensional finite element model with accurate material properties and realistic dimensioning of the male urethra to allow for more innovative solutions, reduce the time to market of new catheter designs, and increase patient safety. The material properties will be developed using pig specimens under uniaxial tension, the geometric model will be created by reviewing past studies as well as through experimentation, and the finite element model will be a combination of those findings. The presented results confirm that this model behaves similarly to other published anatomical finite element models. In conclusion, this model can be used to aide in the development of new catheter designs.