Aviator's Urine Collection Devices: Preliminary Laboratory Trials

摘要

Female aircrew personnel identified a lack of adequate, gender- specific urine relief facilities and gender-specific urine collection devices in a previous naval aviation survey effort, Aircrew Modified Equipment Leading to Increased Accommodation (AMELIA). The Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory conducted four laboratory trials of various commercially available, off-the-shelf urine collection devices (UCDs) as part of a reimbursement project for Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division, Warminister, Pennsylvania to evaluate: (1) the maximum fluid capacity of various constant- wear UCDs and disposable/reusable UCDs, (2) the comfort, fit, and compatibility of constant-wear UCDs with specific personal aviator's flight equipment, (3) the effect of a simulated +3Gz environment on the constant-wear UCDs with and without a simulated weight of 80 lbs; and (4) the effect of a rapid- decompression/high-altitude (simulated aircraft environment) profile in the hypobaric (low pressure) chamber. Upon completion of these trials, we recommended five constant-wear UCDs and six disposable/reusable UCDs for use by aircrew personnel in the fleet assessment phase of the Naval Air Systems Command sponsored, interim UCD project.