HWN Suggests

Urinary catheters – not just uncomfortable but dangerous too

Urinary catheters are not exactly the most popular topic of conversation, but their problems affect millions of people. Catheterisation is not just a necessary and uncomfortable process, but for many, it is a daily and dangerous one where progress towards safer, more comfortable catheters has been — dare we say it — painfully slow...

For some people, the alternative intermittent catheters have been transformative… But regularly using a poorly lubricated catheter is painful and there’s still a risk of infection.

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 Foley Catheter Patients: Common ED Presentations / Management / Pearls & Pitfalls

Do NOT remove a Foley catheter from a recent post-operative patient without contacting your friendly urologist first.

 Tips for Self-Catheterization for Beginners

Many thousands of people catheterize every day due to conditions such as urinary bladder retention, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, cauda equina syndrome, and many more. Intermittent urinary catheters can often restore independence and improve quality of life.

 Urinary catheters: history, current status, adverse events and research agenda

For more than 3500 years, urinary catheters have been used to drain the bladder when it fails to empty. For people with impaired bladder function and for whom the method is feasible, clean intermittent self-catheterization is the optimal procedure.

Articles of Interest

Antibiotics for People with Catheters

When they’re overused—and when they’re needed.

Care for an Indwelling Urinary Catheter

If you are helping a loved one with a catheter, try to be as relaxed as possible. Caring for a catheter can be embarrassing for both of you. This may be especially true if you are caring for someone of the opposite sex. If you are not embarrassed or upset, the person may feel more comfortable.

How many uses of a urinary catheter can you think of?

Urinary catheters are versatile things, that can be useful in a variety of situations. How many uses of a urinary catheter can you think of (medical only please, not recreational)? We have thought of 6, but reckon there are more so we need your help to expand the list. Please comment if you can think of a use.

Ins and outs of urinary catheters

There is evidence that IDCs are often used when not indicated and improperly managed when inserted. IDCs can cause significant morbidity, prolong hospital stay and increase healthcare costs. Infection and traumatic insertion are common complications; advances in catheter design have helped to limit these complications.

Intermittent Catheters for Chronic Urinary Retention: A Health Technology Assessment

Though events around the diagnosis of chronic urinary retention and management with intermittent catheterization were different for each person, those interviewed commonly reported the overwhelming impact it had in their daily lives.

Living a life, despite having a catheter: a personal story

I have written this account of my ‘journey’ – a personal case study – in the hope that it will be instructive to others.

Living with -Urinary catheter

It's possible to live a relatively normal life with a long-term urinary catheter, although it may take some getting used to at first.

Risks: Lax Catheter Policies Seen at Many Hospitals

One of the best ways to get an infection in the hospital is to have a urinary catheter installed (don’t everyone rush out at once). Almost half of all infections acquired at hospitals are in the urinary tract, and most are linked to catheters.

Unseen Perils of Urinary Catheters

An IUC has been associated with a greater risk of death—four times higher during hospitalization and two times higher within 90 days after discharge. Inappropriate IUC use has been equated to a one-point restraint, because like restraints, catheters can cause functional impairment leading to emboli, discomfort, and pressure ulcers.