Different Types of Urinary Catheters

Different Ways to Catheterize

Unless you need to start using a catheter, it is unlikely that you would know much about it. At first, it may seem scary, difficult, and intimidating. However, as soon as you learn the technique, using a catheter becomes a habit like any other daily routine.

What is a Catheter?

A catheter is a thin tube often made of soft plastic material that can be inserted into the bladder via the urethra. Catheters are referred to as medical devices and are prescribed by healthcare professionals.

Why is it Needed?

A urinary catheter is used to drain the urinary bladder when it cannot be emptied normally. This process is called catheterization and can be necessary after several different occasions. The most known is after surgery or during hospitalization. However, it is also used as a daily habit for many people with a dysfunctional bladder caused by another diagnosis, like a spinal cord injury, spina bifida, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, diabetes, stroke, or pelvic floor dysfunction (e.g. women after menopause with incontinence).

There are a few different types of urinary catheters and the choice is important for optimal outcomes:

Indwelling Catheter

An indwelling catheter is a catheter that stays inside the body for a longer period, and there are two types. A urethral indwelling catheter is a catheter inserted through the urethra into the bladder, while a suprapubic indwelling catheter is inserted through the stomach directly into the bladder. Indwelling catheters are inserted by healthcare professionals and left inside the body for as long as they are needed. For long-term use, they are often changed every or every second month. Having something inside the body for this amount of time increases the risk of infection.

Intermittent Catheters

An intermittent catheter is inserted into the urethra on demand to empty the bladder, and then removed again as soon as the bladder is empty. Users are taught how to catheterize themselves, and it is a straightforward technique that can be performed by most people.

Even children as young as seven or eight years old can be taught how to catheterize themselves, and by using aids, people with reduced hand function can practice it as well.

Catheterization is undertaken roughly at the same intervals as you would normally go to the toilet, about 4-6 times a day.

Non-hydrophilic Catheters vs Hydrophilic Catheters

There are two major types of intermittent urinary catheters: Non-hydrophilic catheters, which are uncoated catheters, and hydrophilic intermittent catheters which are coated with a slippery surface to maintain low friction during both insertion and withdrawal, therefore helping avoid complications.

Which Catheter Should I Use?

Intermittent catheterization (IC) is the preferable method to empty the bladder when you can’t urinate naturally. It is safe in the short, mid, and long term, minimizing common risks such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), strictures, bladder stone complications, and upper urinary tract deterioration.

Intermittent catheterization is closest to natural urination and gives the user control and freedom. For short-term users, intermittent catheterization gives a faster recovery and return to normal voiding (emptying of the bladder) after surgery.

Of the different types of intermittent catheters, evidence shows that hydrophilic single-use catheters are best at reducing the risk of complications.

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