How to fix a common urinary catheter

For people who are bedridden for a long time, a urinary catheter is usually needed. This is not only convenient for family care, but also good for the body. Sometimes the patient will not develop bedsores due to urination and defecation. The urinary catheter generally needs to be fixed. The urinary catheter fixing patch is mostly a disposable consumable product. The clinical usage is also very large, so the quality requirements are also relatively high. How to fix the ordinary urinary catheter?

How is external fixation of the urinary catheter performed?

1. Fixed to the edge of the bed. Main method: insert a double-lumen balloon catheter 4 to 6 cm into the urethra, and then insert it 5 to 10 cm after urine is seen. After injecting 12 to 15 mL of sterile water for injection into the balloon, gently pull the catheter. Connect the catheter at the pubic symphysis to the drainage bag, and fix the drainage bag to the edge of the bed with hooks and ties. This fixing method is simple to operate, low in price, and has a wide range of applications. The drainage bag can be passed through the thigh of men and then secured with a safety pin; for women, it can be passed under the thigh and then secured. The catheter at the fixed point and the point of contact with the skin must be of appropriate length to ensure that it will not twist or bend, and will not hinder the patient's normal activities such as turning over.

2. Fix it on the inner thigh. The main methods are: conventional intubation and internal fixation. The urinary catheter will be retained and fixed at the upper 1/3 of the inner thigh. The drainage tube will be fixed under the thigh. Improved fixation method: First, use 3M elastic pressure tape, 3M transparent dressing, inch tape and other series of tools to make your own fixation device. Then cut two small holes in the middle of the pressure tape, pass the inch tape through the holes, stick the whole thing (3M elastic pressure tape) to the transparent dressing, and then fix it on the inner side of the patient's thigh. Finally, use the inch tape to tie it to the water injection end of the catheter. Advantages: This method mainly uses adhesive tape for fixation, which is safer than safety pins. In order to facilitate the patient's activities such as turning over in bed, a drainage tube of appropriate length needs to be left in place.

3. Fix to the abdomen. The main methods are: conventional intubation, internal fixation, and fixing the catheter to the abdomen along the pubic symphysis. For male patients, it can avoid the "bowstring effect" that occurs with the curvature of the urethra, reduce the degree of damage to the urethral mucosa caused by the catheter, and reduce the occurrence of problems such as impotence and retrograde infection. The so-called "bowstring effect" mainly refers to the fact that the catheter bends due to the physiology of the male urethra, and the bend is prone to damage the urethral mucosa; at the same time, if the abdomen is not firmly fixed, the sliding of the catheter will be affected by gravity and will aggravate the damage to the urethral mucosa. From a female perspective, it increases the comfort of activities and can prevent the urinary catheter from being pulled during body activities, causing it to move inward and irritate the urethra. The outer section of the catheter is fixed upward along the pubic symphysis to prevent feces and other substances from contaminating the outer wall of the catheter.