Rigi10™ Malleable Penile Prosthesis
Also Known As
Urinary catheterization, bladder catheterization, urethral catheterization, Foley catheter insertion, indwelling catheter placement, intermittent catheterization, suprapubic catheter insertion, urinary drainage catheter, transurethral catheterization, urinary tract catheterization
Definition
Catheterization is the insertion of a tube (catheter) into the bladder to drain urine or into other body cavities.1 This medical procedure involves placing a hollow, flexible tube through the urethra into the urinary bladder to allow urine to drain when normal voiding is not possible or when the bladder requires emptying for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.2 The word “catheter” is derived from the ancient Greek “kathiénai,” which literally means “to thrust into” or “to send down.”3
Urinary catheters are classified based on their approach of insertion: external catheters that adhere to external genitalia, urethral catheters inserted through the urethra into the bladder, and suprapubic catheters inserted surgically via a suprapubic approach.4 Based on duration of use, catheters can be intermittent (short-term) or indwelling (long-term).5 The most common type of indwelling catheter is the Foley catheter, which features a self-retaining balloon inflated with sterile water after insertion to prevent the catheter from sliding out of the body.6
Clinical Context
Catheterization is employed in various clinical scenarios, with specific indications for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.1,2 Therapeutically, it is primarily used to manage urinary retention, which can be acute or chronic, resulting from obstructive, infectious, pharmacologic, or neurologic causes.5 Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common cause of intrinsic urinary retention in men, while extrinsic causes include compression from enlarged abdominal or pelvic organs.2
Catheterization is also indicated perioperatively in most abdominopelvic surgeries, particularly urological and gynecological procedures.2 In cases involving structures adjacent to the genitourinary tract, sheath catheters are recommended.2 It facilitates management of postoperative urinary retention due to anesthesia and helps achieve better postoperative pain control.2
For patients with neurogenic bladder dysfunction or urinary incontinence, catheterization provides a management solution.6 It is also indicated for acutely ill patients requiring close urinary output measurement, chemotherapy drug delivery, and bladder irrigation.2 Diagnostically, catheterization enables measurement of urodynamics, sample collection for urinalysis, and radiographic studies like cystograms.2
Patient selection criteria include careful assessment of indications and contraindications.4 Contraindications include blood at the meatus, gross hematuria, evidence of urethral infection, urethral pain or discomfort, low bladder volume/compliance, and patient refusal.2 For people with impaired bladder function and for whom the method is feasible, clean intermittent self-catheterization is the optimal procedure.3
The need for a bladder catheter should be evaluated daily, as prompt removal decreases the risk of urinary tract infection.2 For patients with chronic urinary retention and incomplete bladder evacuation, intermittent catheterization is often preferable to indwelling catheters.2