Urinary catheter insertion:

        

A urinary catheter insertion is usually done by a health clinician, such as a nurse or even a doctor. The catheter is inserted into the urinary bladder to allow it to drain freely. Sometimes urinary catheter insertion is done to irrigate the bladder and to instill medications. A catheterization may be done for short term use and also for indefinite use.

Urinary catheter insertion is done under sterile conditions on males and females. Urinary catheter insertion in a male patient is accomplished through the urinary meatus at the end of the penis. The catheter is lubricated and inserted into the meatus and advanced until it reaches just beyond the opening to the urinary bladder. In the female, the catheter is also advanced through the urinary meatus and advanced about a half inch beyond the place where urine is returned through the catheter.

A urinary catheter insertion is necessary for different types of surgeries. Many times, before childbirth, the doctor will insert an intermittent catheter to drain the bladder prior to a vaginal delivery. The intermittent catheter doesn’t have a balloon on the end, so it is used just the one time and discarded. Other types of surgeries will require an indwelling catheter to be in place; therefore a Foley catheter will be inserted.

Oftentimes, with gastric surgeries and surgeries on intestinal tract and reproductive tract, an indwelling catheter may be needed to facilitate the flow of urine from the body. Oftentimes, the trauma of surgery and the effects of the anesthesia will make it difficult for the patient to release urine from the bladder. An indwelling catheter has a balloon at the end which is inflated with sterile water to hold it in place.

If you’d like more information about Liberator Medical’s Catheter Supply-Care Program*, call us toll-free today at 1-866-642-6840. 

*Co-payments, deductibles and conditions apply.