Urethral catheterization is a routine medical procedure that facilitates direct drainage of the urinary bladder. It may be used for diagnostic purposes (to help determine the etiology of various genitourinary conditions) or therapeutically (to relieve urinary retention, instill medication, or provide irrigation). Catheters may be inserted as an in-and-out procedure for immediate drainage, left in with a self-retaining device for short-term drainage (eg, during surgery), or left indwelling for long-term drainage for patients with chronic urinary retention. Patients of all ages may require urethral catheterization, but patients who are elderly or chronically ill are more likely to require indwelling catheters, which carry their own independent risks.
The basic principles underlying urethral catheterization are gender-neutral, but the specific aspects important in the technique of male catheterization are described in this article. For a procedural description for female patients, see Urethral Catheterization in Women.
Relevant Anatomy
The male urethra is a narrow fibromuscular tube that conducts urine and semen from the bladder and ejaculatory ducts, respectively, to the exterior of the body (see the image below). Although the male urethra is a single structure, it is composed of a heterogeneous series of segments: prostatic, membranous, and spongy.