Plain language summary
Policies for replacing long-term indwelling urinary catheters in adults
Background information
A urinary catheter is a tube that is inserted into the bladder from the end of the urethra to drain urine from the bladder. Usually, urinary catheters are only required for a few days, such as after an operation. However, there are some medical conditions that may require bladder drainage on a long-term basis. There are many different ways to care for and maintain a long-term urinary catheter. In this review we refer to these different care methods as health-care 'policies'. Examples of policies that relate to the replacement of a long-term catheter include: time between catheter replacements; use of antibiotics during replacement; use of cleaning solutions or lubricants during replacement; and personnel, environment and techniques used at replacement. This review aimed to identify which policies at the time of long-term catheter replacement were most effective in improving patient care.