Have you heard the term intermittent catheters? Do you know what it is? You won’t be alone if you don’t know. In this article, we mention what an intermittent catheter is and does.
Intermittent catheterization is a process that drains the urine from the bladder. This sterile procedure is used when the normal process of emptying the bladder is not possible. The intervals for draining the bladder differs from many times a day to once a week. It depends on the several factors such as:
- The amount consumed of fluid
- How residual urine increases in the bladder
- Does the urine pass through urethrally?
Residual urine is the amount of urine that is left after you have emptied your bladder. If you have trouble emptying your bladder completely, it can lead to frequent infections.
The catheter is a medical device that features a drainage bag and a tube. The bag holds the urine and a tube passes the urine into the bag. The catheter is inserted and removed after the bladder is drained.
Moreover, for the ambulatory patient, the bag is attached to the leg with elastic bands. For bedridden patients, the bag hangs at the side of the bed.
Benefits of Intermittent Catheterization
Some of the benefits of using intermittent catheterization are:
Easy to Use
It is simple and easy procedure once you learn the technique. There are many people who catheterize themselves. In some cases, mature children can also manage catheterization on their own. For patients who are not physically able to do it, they can receive help of a caregiver.
Effective
Intermittent catheterization is an effective solution for draining the bladder. It is not healthy to leave urine in your bladder for a long period. As a result of this, you can get an infection or bloated bladder. Intermittent catheterization is a useful way to keep these problems at bay. For some people, it may improve urinary incontinence as the catheter empties your bladder. This frees you up for a more active lifestyle.
It is Safe
Intermittent catheterization has the lowest potential for urological complications. After you have mastered the technique of catheterization, you can’t hurt yourself.
Some catheters are self-lubricated. This means soaking them in water for some time makes it slippery. This makes the inserting of the tube easy. On the other hand, on other tubes, a lubricating jelly is used to make the insertion easy.
Intermittent catheterization is a safe and an effective way to manage patients with urinary problems. This technique has improved the lives of many housebound people because of bladder problems. They can experience a better quality of life with a greater freedom.
DISCLAIMER: The medical information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. This information is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.