Why catheterization

Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. When you're unable to urinate, the problem can quickly become serious. As urine builds up in the bladder , it becomes uncomfortable, then painful. If the problem continues, the bladder can become overly full and urine can back up into your kidneys , causing damage that can be permanent. When this happens, a sterile, flexible tube called a urinary catheter is inserted into the urethra where urine leaves the body and is gently pushed up until the end rests in your bladder.

The catheter then drains the urine into an attached bag. Urinary catheters are often used during surgery, as you can't control your bladder while under anesthesia. For this purpose, a foley catheter is typically placed prior to surgery and keeps the bladder empty throughout.

It often remains in place until the surgery is completed and you're awake and alert enough to begin urinating normally. A foley catheter is a sterile urinary catheter that's intended to stay in place for an extended period of time.

The tip of the catheter has a balloon on it that can be inflated in the bladder and hold the foley in place. Urine then drains from the bladder through the tube and into a collection bag. This type of catheter is used when a patient is unable to urinate on their own, either because they are too sick, sedated, or unable to urinate without assistance because of a medical issue.

If your bladder just needs to be drained once, and the catheter doesn't need to remain in place, a straight catheter, or straight cath, is inserted and then removed once your bladder is emptied.

A urinary catheter, regardless of type, increases the risk of a urinary tract infection. It is usually connected to a larger bag for drainage at night. A catheter valve is discreet and comfortable and can provide greater independence. It also reduces the possibility of trauma and infection in your bladder. Intermittent catheters An intermittent catheter is when a new catheter is inserted each time you need to drain urine.

If you develop recurrent urine infections while doing CISC, see your nurse for a review. Conditions that may require urinary catheterisation Urinary catheterisation can be useful for people with bladder problems, such as: urinary retention — inability to empty the bladder, for example due to neurological conditions such as stroke and multiple sclerosis, or other factors such as faecal impaction or enlarged prostate bladder obstruction — for example, caused by bladder stones or narrowing of the urethra the passage from the bladder to the outside.

It can also be useful on a temporary basis, such as: to help people to retrain their bladder — catheterisation can be discontinued as soon as bladder control is re-established after surgery to the genital area — such as prostate gland or hip surgery or a hysterectomy as an indwelling catheter for the first few days after major surgery or to monitor fluid output in patients receiving intravenous fluids.

Choosing the right catheter and equipment Your health professional will help you choose the right catheter and equipment for you. Decisions involved in choosing the correct catheter include: external circumference of the catheter inside space of the catheter the lumen — the right size for you is the smallest size possible to drain your bladder adequately material — for example, silicone, latex or Teflon, or a combination of these.

The material selected will depend on how long the catheter will be in place length, shape, design and structural features — decisions about the length of the tube, the size of the collection bag and the means of attachment will depend on factors such as whether you are able to walk, how and where you intend to store or wear your collection bag, and how frequently you will be able to empty it how to secure or anchor your catheter — to make you comfortable and reduce possible trauma.

Catheter supports prevent unnecessary tugging of the catheter tubing on the bladder and irritation of the urethra and its opening lifestyle needs — your catheter should be customised to your lifestyle choices — for example, it may need to be easily portable, discreet, and have all the necessary features for you to be able to use it confidently, such as a handling aid.

Alternative catheter treatments In some cases, male patients who are incontinent but not urine retentive may be able to wear a catheter attached to a condom. Using a catheter — taking care of yourself at home Your prescribing health practitioner or your continence, urology or community nurse will teach you how to manage your catheter at home. Guideline 7. Urinary catheterisation — types , , NHS Choices.

Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. Page last reviewed: 26 February Next review due: 26 February Urinary catheters are usually inserted by a doctor or nurse. When urinary catheters are used A urinary catheter is usually used when people have difficulty peeing urinating naturally.

Specific reasons a urinary catheter may be used include: to allow urine to drain if you have an obstruction in the tube that carries urine out of your bladder urethra. For example, because of scarring or prostate enlargement to allow you to urinate if you have bladder weakness or nerve damage that affects your ability to pee to drain your bladder during childbirth if you have an epidural anaesthetic to drain your bladder before, during or after some types of surgery to deliver medicine directly into the bladder, such as during chemotherapy for bladder cancer as a last resort treatment for urinary incontinence when other types of treatment have been unsuccessful Depending on the type of catheter you have and why it's being used, the catheter may be removed after a few minutes, hours or days, or it may be needed for the long term.

Types of urinary catheter There are 2 main types of urinary catheter: intermittent catheters — these are temporarily inserted into the bladder and removed once the bladder is empty indwelling catheters — these remain in place for many days or weeks, and are held in position by an inflated balloon in the bladder Many people prefer to use an indwelling catheter because it's more convenient and avoids the repeated insertions needed with intermittent catheters.

Looking after your catheter If you need a long-term urinary catheter, you'll be given detailed advice about looking after it before you leave hospital. Risks and potential problems The main problems caused by urinary catheters are infections in the urethra, bladder or, less commonly, the kidneys.

During cardiac catheterization, one or more catheters are passed through a blood vessel in the groin, wrist or neck, depending on the reason for the procedure, and guided to the heart. The area where the catheter will be inserted is numbed, and then a small cut is made to access the blood vessel.

A plastic sheath is passed into this opening to allow your doctor to insert the catheter. What happens next depends on why you're having a cardiac catheterization. These are some of the common uses for cardiac catheterization:. Balloon angioplasty, with or without stenting. This procedure is used to open a narrowed artery in or near the heart. The catheter can be inserted in either the wrist or groin for this procedure.

The catheter is guided to the narrowed artery. Then, a smaller balloon catheter is inserted through the flexible catheter and inflated at the narrowed area to open it. Often, the doctor will also place a mesh coil called a stent at the narrowed part to help keep the artery open. If you're awake during a cardiac catherization procedure, you may be asked to take deep breaths, hold your breath, cough or place your arms in various positions throughout the procedure.

The table may be tilted at times, but you'll have a safety strap on to keep you on the table. Threading the catheter shouldn't be painful, and you shouldn't feel it moving through your body.

Tell your doctor or nurse if you have any discomfort. You'll likely spend several hours in a recovery room after the procedure while the sedation wears off. After you leave the recovery room, you'll usually be moved to a regular hospital or outpatient room. After your catheter is removed, a technician or nurse will apply pressure to the insertion sites. If the catheter was placed in the groin area, you may need to lie flat for several hours after the procedure to avoid serious bleeding and to allow the artery to heal.

How long you need to stay in the hospital depends on your overall health and the reason for the catheterization. The area where the catheter was inserted may feel sore for a few days.