Urinary catheterisation is a medical procedure used to remove urine from the bladder.
A thin flexible tube, known as a catheter, is inserted into the urethra (the opening in the penis or vagina which urine flows out of) or through a hole in the abdomen. The catheter is then guided into the bladder, allowing urine to flow through it and into a drainage bag.
Types of catheter
There are two main types of catheter:
- intermittent catheter, where the catheter is temporarily inserted into the bladder and removed once the bladder is empty, and
- indwelling catheter, where the catheter remains in place for many weeks.
The purpose of urinary catheterisation
Urinary catheterisation is usually used for people who cannot empty their bladder in the usual way. This could be due to:
- damage to the nerves that control the muscles of the bladder,
- an obstruction in part of the urinary system, or
- the person being too frail to go to the toilet in the normal way, as they're recovering from surgery or trauma.
Urinary catheterisation is also sometimes used to help in diagnosis. For example, it may be used to monitor the urine output of someone who is unconscious or recovering from surgery.
In many cases, urinary catheterisation will only need to be used temporarily. However, there are occasions when a person requires the long-term use of a catheter. In these circumstances, a person can be trained to use the catheter in their own home. This is known as self-catheterisation.
Urinary tract infection
The major disadvantage of urinary catheterisation is that the equipment used can sometimes allow bacteria to enter the body, causing an infection in the urethra, the bladder or, less commonly, the kidneys. These types of infection are known as urinary tract infections (UTIs).
UTIs associated with catheter use are the most common type of hospital acquired infection, accounting for 35% of all cases.
Due to the risks of UTIs, health professionals and people who are trained in self-catheterisation have to be particularly careful to keep any equipment used as sterile (germ-free) as possible.
See Useful links for more information about UTIs.
