Urinary catheterisation is a medical procedure used to drain and collect urine from the bladder.
A thin flexible tube, known as a catheter, is inserted into the body, usually along the tube through which urine passes (the urethra) 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.
What is it used for?
A urinary catheter can be used on a short- or long-term basis.
It may be required to remove urine from the bladder for a short time:
- when something is stopping a person emptying their bladder in the normal way (for example if the urethra has become blocked by a bladder stone)
- in preparation for some types of surgery, such as a hysterectomy
- to monitor the urine output of someone who is unconscious or recovering from surgery
A urinary catheter may be required for a long time:
- to remove urine from the bladder if a person cannot control their bladder due to nerve damage (this is known as neuropathic bladder)
- to treat urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control) that does not respond to other treatments
If a urinary catheter is required for a long time, a person may be trained to use the catheter in their own home. This is known as self-catheterisation.
Read more about why you might need urinary catheterisation.
Types of catheters
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
- indwelling catheter, where the catheter remains in place for many days or weeks
Most people prefer using an indwelling catheter as it is much more convenient and causes less pain than using an intermittent catheter.
However, if a catheter is required on a long-term basis, an intermittent catheter will have to be used. This is because the longer an indwelling catheter is in place, the higher the chance of it causing an infection.
Read more about how catheterisation is carried out.
Risks
The main disadvantage of a urinary catheter is that the equipment can sometimes allow bacteria to enter the body. This can cause an infection in the urethra, bladder or, less commonly, kidneys. These types of infection are collectively known as urinary tract infections.
Urinary tract infections from catheter use are the most common type of infection to affect people staying in hospital, accounting for around a third of cases.
Because of the relatively high risk of infection, a urinary catheter should only be used when there is no other alternative method of emptying the bladder.
Glossary
Bladder
The bladder is a small organ near the pelvis that holds urine until it is ready to be passed from the body.
Kidney
Kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs located at the back of the abdomen, which remove waste and extra fluid from the blood and pass them out of the body as urine.
Urethra
The urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.