What am I looking at?
Visual recognition
Catheter ending in flared, wing-like (mushroom or batwing) flanges rather than a pigtail loop.
12-05
Malecot drainage catheter
Winged drainage catheter
Three-panel learning framework
Recognition, context, and distinction
What does it do, and where will I see it?
Use & procedural context
Large-bore catheter with soft splayed wings at the tip that expand within a cavity to retain the drain and keep a wide, non-clogging channel for thick or particulate fluid. Typical procedural contexts include viscous or debris-laden collections, large abscesses, gastrostomy/cecostomy, and selected GU drainage.
What most clearly distinguishes it from similar devices?
Key distinctions
The Malecot uses soft flared wings for retention and a broad drainage channel, distinguishing it from a pigtail catheter that relies on a curled distal loop.