Intermittent

catheterization In medicine, a catheter ( ) is a thin tube made from medical grade materials serving a broad range of functions. Catheters are medical devices that can be inserted in the body to treat diseases or perform a surgical procedure. Catheters are man ...

is a medical technique used in conditions where patients need either short-term catheter-based management of the

urinary bladder The bladder () is a hollow organ in humans and other vertebrates that stores urine from the Kidney (vertebrates), kidneys. In placental mammals, urine enters the bladder via the ureters and exits via the urethra during urination. In humans, the ...

or as a daily habit for life. Intermittent catheterization is considered the "gold standard" for medical bladder emptying. Intermittent catheterization can be done by the patient or a caregiver in a home environment.

Advantages

People with neurogenic bladder disorders like

spinal cord The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue that extends from the medulla oblongata in the lower brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone) of vertebrate animals. The center of the spinal c ...

injury,

spina bifida Spina bifida (SB; ; Latin for 'split spine') is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the vertebral column, spine and the meninges, membranes around the spinal cord during embryonic development, early development in pregnancy. T ...

multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease resulting in damage to myelinthe insulating covers of nerve cellsin the brain and spinal cord. As a demyelinating disease, MS disrupts the nervous system's ability to Action potential, transmit ...

, and non-neurogenic bladder disorders like obstruction due to prostate enlargement,

urethral stricture A urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra, the tube connected to the Urinary bladder, bladder that allows urination. The narrowing reduces the flow of urine and makes it more difficult or even painful to empty the bladder. Urethral stric ...

s or post-operative urinary retention, need to be continuously catheterised to empty their urinary bladders. But such continuous catheterization can lead to problems like urinary tract infections (UTI),

s or

male infertility Male infertility refers to a sexually mature male's inability to impregnate a fertile female. Male infertility can wholly or partially account for 40% of infertility among couples who are trying to have children. "A problem with the male is the s ...

. Intermittent catheterization at regular intervals avoids such negative effects of continuous long term catheterization, but maintaining a low bladder pressure throughout the day.

Technique

It is unclear which catheter designs, techniques or strategies affect the incidence of UTI, which are preferable to users and which are most cost effective. Intermittent catheters come in a variety of designs and differ depending on the user's genitals, with a catheter for a

penis A penis (; : penises or penes) is a sex organ through which male and hermaphrodite animals expel semen during copulation (zoology), copulation, and through which male placental mammals and marsupials also Urination, urinate. The term ''pen ...

being longer and a catheter for a

vulva In mammals, the vulva (: vulvas or vulvae) comprises mostly external, visible structures of the female sex organ, genitalia leading into the interior of the female reproductive tract. For humans, it includes the mons pubis, labia majora, lab ...

being shorter. The catheter is inserted into the urethra by the patient or a carer and can either be directed down a toilet or, if measurement of volume is required, into a measuring jug. A jug may also be used by wheelchair users, rather than struggling to get over a toilet.

References

{{Reflist ;General *Taylor-LeMone: Fundamentals of Nursing. 7th edition, page 1246 *http://www.nature.com/sc/journal/v40/n9/full/3101312a.html *https://www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/continence/reasons-for-intermittent-catheterisation-12-10-2010/ Catheters