Types and Usage of Catheter

A catheter is a thin flexible tube used to empty the bladder. If the bladder isn’t emptied, urine gets collected leads to the pressure on the kidney and can cause kidney damage.

Initially, red rubber tubes were used, then sterilized, and re-used which often lead to the spread of disease and also a high risk of infection. David S. Sheridan is thus credited for saving thousands of life by inventing the modern disposable Catheter in the 1940s.

A catheter can be used by the person who cannot urinate by themselves or the one who can’t control urination post-surgery.

Urinary catheter

A urinary catheter is a thin, sterile tube inserted in the bladder to drain urine when the bladder fails to empty it. A urinary catheter is inserted into the bladder and not through the bladder. A catheter can also give false passage for the urine.

Urinary catheter functions the same as that of the urinary bladder, they help the bladder to empty completely, which reduces infection.

Suprapubic Catheter

A suprapubic catheter used to empty the bladder through an incision in the belly instead of a tube in the urethra. The catheter has a flexible tube through which urine can be drained out.

Types of Catheter

1. Indwelling Catheters/ Foley catheter

This type of catheter has to be inserted into the bladder through the urethra or tiny hole in the abdomen. A tiny water-filled balloon at the end of the catheter prevents the tube from sliding out of the body.

Examples: urethral or suprapubic catheters

2. External Catheter

Patients who don’t have a urinary problem, but are facing from dementia can use External Catheter. As the name suggests external, they are placed outside the body. It is a condom-like device which covers the penis head. It has a lower risk as compared to Indwelling catheters. But they need to be changed daily.

Example: Condom Catheter

3. Intermittent Catheter

Post-surgery when patient’s bladder is not performing well it can be emptied using this short term catheter. After the bladder starts performing catheter has to be removed.