Can a urinary catheter be used for a long time?

Catheters are very common in normal times, especially for people who are bedridden for a long time. However, it is best not to use catheters for a long time. Long-term use of catheters will cause urinary tract infections and difficulty urinating on their own. Especially for older people, it is best not to use catheters for a long time. Once their urination function is restored, the catheter needs to be removed in time.

How to use a urinary catheter

1. How to use a male urinary catheter

1.1. Take the blue stopper at the front end of the catheter with your right hand and remove the catheter.

1.2. Lubricate the front end of the catheter with sterile lubricant. For male patients, it is about 3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm).

1.3. Hold the blue plug with your mouth and use forceps to clamp the front end of the catheter. Slowly insert the catheter along the urethra until the catheter is almost fully inserted. The insertion length for male patients is about 3-4 inches (7.5-10 cm).

1.4. Fix and press the catheter with your left hand to prevent it from slipping and urine from flowing out. First, place a container of urine under the catheter opening, then open the blue stopper with your right hand to allow urine to flow out, and press the bladder to drain the urine cleanly.

2. How to use a female urinary catheter

2.1. The operator stands on the right side of the patient. The patient lies on his back with his knees bent, legs slightly spread outward, and the opposite trouser leg is taken off and covered on the proximal leg. The opposite thigh is covered with a blanket to expose the perineum.

2.2. Take out the sterile catheterization bag and place it between the patient's legs. Open the catheterization bag and pour 0.1% Sanisol into a small cup filled with dry cotton balls. Wear sterile gloves and spread a perforated towel to form a sterile area with the perforated towel and the catheterization bag cloth.

2.3. Take a curved tray and place it beside the patient's left drape opening. Lubricate the front end of the catheter with a paraffin oil cotton ball and place it in the curved tray beside the drape opening. Use your left hand to separate and fix the labia minora. Use your right hand to hold the Sanisol cotton ball with hemostatic forceps and disinfect the urethral opening from top to bottom and from inside to outside (gently rotate the urethral opening to disinfect it and then wipe downwards, twice in total) and the labia minora. Each cotton ball can only be used once. After cleaning, throw the hemostat into the dirty tray.

2.4. Use another hemostatic forceps to hold the catheter, aim it at the urethral opening and insert it into the urethra about 4-6 cm. When urine flows out, insert it about 1 cm further. Release your left hand, fix the catheter, and direct the urine into the sterile tray.

3. Does it hurt to insert a urinary catheter?

Generally speaking, it is not painful to insert a urinary catheter, but we will feel some discomfort because the catheter is inserted into our body, so there will always be some discomfort. If it is your first time to insert a urinary catheter, you may feel a little scared psychologically. In fact, you don’t need to be so nervous. However, if the catheter is too thick or the urethra is too small, it will still be painful, especially when inserting and removing it. However, the pain will not last too long, so don’t worry too much.