A urinary catheter is a thin flexible tube inserted through the urethra into the bladder to drain urine. A common and necessary medical procedure in many situations.
Types of Catheters:
- Temporary (in-and-out): Inserted and removed immediately — to empty the bladder once.
- Indwelling (Foley): Stays in place for days to weeks — a small balloon holds it.
- Clean Intermittent Catheterization (CIC): Patient catheterizes themselves 4-6 times daily.
When You Need a Catheter:
- Acute urinary retention: Unable to urinate — an emergency.
- After surgery: Especially prostate and pelvic surgeries.
- Urine output measurement: In intensive care.
- Enlarged prostate: Common cause in elderly men.
- Spinal cord injuries: Loss of bladder control.
- Bedridden patient: Cannot get up to use the bathroom.
At BEIT TARIQ Center, we insert and change urinary catheters in clinic or at home visits.