Urinary catheters are tubes inserted into the bladder to drain urine or introduce instruments, drugs, or tracer dyes. They are used for various medical procedures and can be placed by a physician, nurse, or patient. Catheters are used for urinary retention, surgery, endoscopic procedures, and medical imaging studies. They require special care to avoid infection or damage and are attached to a bag to collect urine. The area around the urethra is cleaned before placement, and the catheter is stored in sterile packaging. Anesthetics may be given for placement or removal if there is concern about pain.
A urinary catheter is a tube that is inserted into the bladder through the urethra. Catheters can be used to drain the bladder if a patient is unable to pass urine independently, and they can also be used to introduce instruments, drugs, or tracer dyes into the bladder for various medical procedures. Catheter placement can be performed by a physician such as a urologist, a trained nurse, or even the patient in the case of self-catheterization.
One of the main reasons for using a urinary catheter is to provide drainage because the patient cannot urinate. This may be done to help a patient clear a blockage, because the urethra is inflamed or infected and urinating is painful, to deal with difficulty urinating due to an enlarged prostate, or because a patient is paralyzed and cannot urinate. In some of these situations, the patient may need to use the urinary catheter for an extended period of time and special care must be taken to avoid infection or damage.
Catheters can also be used after surgery when a patient may have difficulty urinating or a medical team wants to monitor urine consistency, composition and output. Another reason to place a catheter is to prepare for an endoscopic procedure where tools will be introduced into the bladder through the catheter. Such procedures can be used to remove growths and for other reasons such as bladder wall biopsies. Introducing tracers through a urinary catheter can be done for medical imaging studies.
If a catheter is used to quickly treat urinary retention to empty the bladder, urine can flow freely through the tube. If the catheter is left in place, it is attached to a bag that collects urine. Using a bag helps keep the patient clean and also allows for easy urine monitoring. Patients who wish to be active while wearing a urinary catheter can wear a leg bag which is worn strapped to the thigh.
Before placing a urinary catheter, the external area around the urethra is thoroughly cleaned and draped to reduce the risk of introducing sources of infection. The catheter itself is stored in sterile packaging until needed, and the healthcare professional evaluates the patient to determine the most appropriate size. The person installing the catheter washes their hands and gloves before placing the catheter, and the patient may be given an anesthetic if the placement will be painful. Anesthetics may also be given for removal if there is concern that the patient may be in pain.
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