Doctor invents ‘Pee Pocket’

A heart surgeon by day, an inventor by night. Dr. Jacob DeLaRosa of Portneuf Medical Center has invented The Pee Pocket.

Just as it sounds, it’s a biodegradable cardboard funnel that allows women to urinate while standing up. DeLaRosa said it was born out of necessity.

“I took my daughter to a public restroom, and it was filthy. I couldn’t let her sit down on that,” he said.

He figured there had to be a better way.

He and fellow surgeon Dr. Juan Leon came up with The Pee Pocket. You put your hand inside and pop it open.

“It looks like it’s not a big deal, but it took a lot of thinking, time and engineering,” said DeLaRosa.

There are other stand-up products out there, but this invention allows for back splash.

“Some people have heavy urine flows, and it will back up before it makes it through the funnel, so we came up with a design that allows for that,” he said.

They’re intended to be used once and thrown away. DeLaRosa said he’s heard from one happy customer who uses it on transcontinental flights up to five times. She just rinses it off in the sink, folds it up, slips it back inside the plastic bag and uses it again.

DeLaRosa said he assumed this product would be used by women. He said he’s surprised at the number of men who buy them.

“Hunters! That was a market we weren’t thinking about,” he said. “Hunters have all this garb and warm gear on, and they can’t get it off. When they go to the bathroom, it’s not just unzip. Sometimes it’s cold, and it doesn’t reach, so they put this inside the clothes to give them the extra length they need to pee without taking off all the garb.”

The idea has gotten so popular with hunters, DeLaRosa says a Minnesota company is requesting The Pee Pocket in camouflage.

“One university even contacted us to see if they could put their logo on it,” said DeLaRosa.

Most important, The Pee Pocket is proving successful in the medical field for people who can’t sit on the toilet, perhaps due to a broken hip or leg in a cast.

“This is proving to be a game changer in the nursing home industry,” DeLaRosa said.

If you’re interested in ordering The Pee Pocket, email info@thepeepocket.com or call (855) 854-4440.