Cairns Urology
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Catheter Management

Management of Indwelling Catheter

This section is designed to explain reasons for and the management of an indwelling catheter.

A catheter is a tube usually made of pure silicon which is inserted in the bladder and held in place by a small balloon at the bladder end which is inflated with water to stop the catheter falling out.

It may be placed for several reasons.

1. There may have been an operation on the urethra (pipe) which drains the urine from the bladder and it may be necessary to rest the urethra for a period of time to enable healing.

2. There may be a blockage to the patient's output of urine preventing the patient from emptying the bladder normally.

3. The bladder may be hypotonic (weak) in that it is not able to push hard enough to empty. In this case a catheter is placed to keep the bladder empty so that it may regain its tone and muscle power.

The catheter is usually connected to a bag which is tied to a patent's leg enabling the urine to drain into that. The bag can be emptied into the toilet as is needed. Usually it is not possible to see a bag under the clothing and they have been designed specifically so that is the case.

Patients with catheters in are encouraged to have showers and take regular walks to keep their fitness up.

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Clean Intermittent Self Catheterisation - Male

Clean intermittent self catheterisation is a technique of bladder emptying designed to be carried out by the patient when his or her bladder down not empty properly or completely.
It is important that the bladder should empty completely because small amounts of urine remaining in the bladder may become infected and lead to further problems. In addition the bladder may become over stretched if it is not emptied completely and this can lead to back pressure effects on the kidneys and lead to kidney failure and a shortened life span.
The technique of clean intermittent self catheterisation is easy to learn and quickly becomes an acceptable alternative to the wearing of appliances for continuous drainage. Most people find that they benefit by this technique and may regain an increased degree of bladder function.

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Clean Intermittent Self Catheterisation - Female

Clean intermittent self catheterisation is a technique of bladder emptying designed to be carried out by the patient when his or her bladder down not empty properly or completely.

It is important that the bladder should empty completely because small amounts of urine remaining in the bladder may become infected and lead to further problems. In addition the bladder may become over stretched if it is not emptied completely and this can lead to back pressure effects on the kidneys and lead to kidney failure and a shortened life span.

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