Urinary Incontinence

Description

Alternative Names

Catheters and Collection Devices

A catheter is a slim flexible tube inserted into the urethra. They are mainly used for cases of severe urge incontinence.

A catheter (a hollow tube, often with an inflatable balloon tip) may be inserted into the urinary bladder when there is a urinary obstruction, following surgical procedures to the urethra, in unconscious patients (due to surgical anesthesia, coma, etc.), or for any other problem in which the bladder needs to be kept empty (decompressed) and urinary flow assured.

Click the icon to see an image of male bladder catheterization.

Temporary Catheterization. For people who are still active, catheterization is often very distressing. If possible, temporary, also called intermittent, catheterization is usually the best choice. Patients insert the catheter tube into their urethras, generally every three to four hours. This type of catheterization carries few risks and empties the bladder completely. Some patients report that they can maintain an active life with no significantly increased risk for infection with some simple precautions:

• Sterilize catheters at home.
• Use a Zip Lock plastic bag to carry them in when leaving home.
• Use another plastic bag for antiseptic cleansing solution.
• When using public bathrooms, wash before and after catheterization. Touch as few places in the bathroom as possible.

Permanent Catheterization. People who are mentally or physically incapable of self-catheterization may need permanent catheterization.

• The permanent catheter is inserted by a doctor or nurse into the opening of the bladder and a cuff is inflated to hold the tube in place.
• Urine drains to an external collection device, which is generally strapped to the leg and must be emptied periodically.

The procedure is not painful, but there is a substantial increased risk of infection. Many experts feel that the catheter is overused, especially in the elderly.

External Collection Devices

Condom Catheters. Condom catheters are available that are much more satisfactory than standard catheters for many male patients, although there is more spillage.

• The condom is worn all day.
• At night it is removed and washed for reuse the next day.

Collection Devices Attached to the Leg. For chronic or severe incontinence, collective devices drain urine into a bag that is attached to the lower leg and emptied periodically. These are generally more successful for men, in which urine can be funneled into the tube by a pouch surrounding the penis. The positioning of the collecting device is difficult for women, and more accidents occur. For both men and women, irritation of the area around the urethral opening is a problem, since urine is in contact with the area for long periods.