How does a catheter work diagram

Your indwelling urinary catheter How your catheter works Your catheter is a hollow tube that is inserted into your bladder to drain urine. The first catheter change will be done about 6 weeks after the first insertion.

A decision will be made by the nurse when the next change will be. This will be reassessed if you have any problems.

Your catheter can be changed by your doctor or nurse: at home at your hostel or nursing home in the hospital outpatient department. Your doctor or nurse will advise you of the arrangements for changing your catheter. The catheter should be comfortable to wear and should not pull.

Positioning your catheter correctly will help make it comfortable. You may want to use a clean face cloth or towel, and a bag or plastic tub to hold the supplies. Choose a comfortable position with your legs spread. You may want to put one leg up on the toilet. Or you can lie on your back with your legs bent and spread in a "frog" position. Place the urine container between your legs if you are using one. Spread the lubricating jelly on the tip of the catheter.

Put the other end of the catheter over the toilet bowl or in the container to catch the urine. Gently insert the catheter into the urethra opening until urine begins to flow out. You may want to use a mirror to see better. Then insert it about 2.

Remove the catheter slowly. If you are using a disposable catheter, throw it away. If not, wash it with warm, soapy water. Dry it and put it into a clean container. Clean the catheter after each use. Before you start, clean and disinfect the area where you will be working, such as the sink and counter.

Then follow these steps:. Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if:. Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor or nurse call line if you have any problems. Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.

Adapted with permission from copyrighted materials from Healthwise, Incorporated Healthwise. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty and is not responsible or liable for your use of this information.

Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions. Rather than being inserted through your urethra, the catheter is inserted through a hole in your tummy abdomen and then directly into your bladder.

This procedure can be done under general anaesthetic , epidural anaesthetic or local anaesthetic. A suprapubic catheter is used when the urethra is damaged or blocked, or when someone is unable to use an intermittent catheter. The catheter may be secured to the side of your body and attached to a collection bag strapped to your leg.

Alternatively, a valve can be attached that opens to allow urine to be drained into a toilet, and closes to allow the bladder to fill with urine until drainage is convenient. Read more about living with a urinary catheter. Page last reviewed: 26 February Next review due: 26 February If you are not circumcised you will need to pull back your foreskin and wash yourself. Wash and dry your hands thoroughly. Place the unopened catheter packet, clear side facing downwards, on a flat surface.

Peel back from the coloured end of the catheter for 5 cms. Gently grasp hold of the funnel to stabilise the catheter and prevent it from flicking out of the packet. Slowly peel back the paper side of the packet and remove completely without touching the catheter. The catheter should remain in the clear packet. Drop lubricant onto the tip of the catheter and for about 5 cms along the tube.

Without touching the catheter that is, grasp hold of it through the packet pick it up and hold it like a pen in your dominant hand and peel back the clear packet to reveal the tip of the catheter. With your other non-dominant hand grasp hold of your penis and hold it at an angle see figure 5.

Gently but firmly push the catheter into the penis 5 cms. Hold the shaft of the penis firmly so that the catheter does not fall out and peel back the paper to expose another 5 cms of catheter to be inserted. Continue to insert the catheter in this way.

You may encounter some resistance at the point where the catheter reaches the prostate gland and the closed sphincter muscle. If it is stuck do not force the catheter but try coughing, bearing down as though you want to pass urine or deep breathing whilst keeping gentle pressure against the resistance.

You will then feel the catheter give and it can be pushed into the bladder. You can now remove the paper completely and wait for the urine flow. Return the penis to its natural position and hold onto the catheter until the flow of urine stops. Make sure you direct the flow of urine into the toilet or container.

When the flow has stopped, have a cough and press gently over your bladder as more urine may flow out by doing this.