The concept of draining the bladder using a hollow
tube has been written about since the time
of the ancient Egyptians, where it was common
to use papyrus and reeds as a urinary catheter (Nazarko,
2012). Frederick Foley introduced the self-retaining balloon
catheter in 1937, a medical device that has changed little in
design over the past 80 years.
Some of the reasons a person may require an indwelling
urinary catheter have been acknowledged in
European Guidelines (European Association of Urology
Nurses (EAUN), 2012) and include:
w Post-operative retention
w Detrusor failure (hypotonic bladder)
w Monitoring of urine output in an acute setting, such as
intensive care (though not recommended by the author)
w Bladder irrigation post-prostatectomy surgery
w Relief of intractable urinary incontinence to maintain
skin integrity.
The risks associated with indwelling urinary catheters are
well-documented with a definite link to biofilm formation
occurring within 48 hours, increasing the risk of developing
catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs)
(Newman, 2007). Pain, trauma, infection, bypassing and
blockage are potential complications associated with the