Care for the urethral catheter

The urethral catheter is a rubber conductor used to evacuate urine from the bladder cavity. Most often, a urethral catheter is placed with a diagnostic purpose or to control the amount of urine during an operation. Although there are cases when a urethral catheter is placed in case of diseases. For example, with acute urinary retention due to cancer or prostate adenoma, the urethral catheter remains the only method of active urine evacuation. In this case, it remains in the cavity of the bladder for up to two months, which can threaten the development of pressure ulcers of the urethra or infection of the bladder. Therefore, when setting the urethral catheter, care must be taken to avoid such complications.

Urethral catheter

Timing of setting the urethral catheter

As already mentioned, the urethral catheter can be in the bladder cavity for up to two months. In this case, it must be remembered that such a term is the maximum term for such treatment, because the urethral catheter is placed in the bladder cavity usually no longer than for one week.

instagram viewer

Urethral catheter in the urethra

For good functioning of this drainage and for the comfort of the patient, a tight connection of the urethral catheter with the adapter and urine collection is necessary. This is achieved by using special rubber adapters and clamps. In addition, it is necessary to take care of the convenient fixation of the urine collection on the human body, because such patients, as a rule, conduct an active lifestyle. When fixing the urine receiver, it must be remembered that it should not be above the level of the bladder, which may threaten the return current of the urine from the urine receiver to this organ.

Securing the urethral catheter on the body

As a rule, it is recommended to use a special belt to fix the reservoir, to which the urine receiver is attached and falls a short distance. Naturally, such a fixation of the reservoir is not very convenient for the patient, since the latter constantly hangs and interferes with a normal way of life. Patients often go for the trick and shorten the length of the strap, thereby raising the urine receiver a little higher. This adversely affects urodynamics and urine enters the bladder cavity from the reservoir, which leads to secondary infection.

In addition, periodically in the bladder, a small amount of antiseptic solutions must be administered along the urethral catheter to prevent secondary infection. As such drugs, solutions of chlorhexidine or furacilin that do not have an irritant effect on the mucous membrane of the bladder are very suitable.

In addition to preventing secondary infection, care of the urethral catheter is necessary to prevent and urinate urethra. This is done by constantly changing the position of the urethral catheter in the urethra. Naturally, such manipulations are not that unpleasant, but extremely painful, but despite this, their performance is simply necessary, otherwise the disease can acquire completely different colors.

Well, the last thing to remember about care of a urethral catheter is the replacement of the latter. It should be done about once a week. The reason for this frequent replacement is that the catheter has the property of acquiring the shape of the urethra, which threatens with the same pressure sores. Naturally, independently changing the catheter, you can cause even more damage, so this procedure should only be performed by a doctor in a medical institution.

Potential complications in setting up the urethral catheter

The very first complication that patients with a urethral catheter can expect is a rupture of the urethra during its placement. Therefore, it is necessary to remember that the catheter should not be placed by any familiar physician at the patient's home, but by a urologist or surgeon in a medical institution.

The second complication that can await patients with a urethral catheter is, of course, infection of the urinary tract. Secondary reactive cystitis, which is called catheter-associated, has a prolonged lingering course. His treatment is further complicated by the fact that the catheter, being in the cavity of the bladder, constantly irritates its mucous membrane, contributing to the progress of the disease. If at this time to take a catheter for the treatment of cystitis, then you can aggravate the underlying pathology. Therefore, in advance it is necessary to take care of the prevention of secondary infection of the bladder.

Perhaps the most formidable complication in setting up a urethral catheter is pressure ulcers of the mucous membrane of the urethra. They can be diagnosed by painful sensations in the urethra and secretion of purulent contents from the urethra past the urethral catheter. Treatment of this complication is quite a serious procedure. It is necessary to remove the urethral catheter and epicostostomy - a special opening in the bladder above the pubis, through which it is possible to evacuate urine and inject medications.

Rev.the doctor the urologist, the sexologist-andrologist Plotnikov AN