Indications for catheterisation and catheter selection

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Assessing urinary incontinence
3. Indications for Catheterisation
   1. Contra-indications to catheterisation
4. Catheter Selection
   1. Intermittent versus Indwellling?
   2. Catheter Size
   3. Balloon Size
   4. Catheter Length
   5. Charrière size
5. Catheter Material
6. Summary
7. References

Catheter Length

Catheters are produced in three different lengths:

- Female (approx 27cm)

- Paediatric (approx 30cm)

- Standard length (approx 40cm)

(c) Sue Woodward

Paediatric length catheters are available in smaller Charriere sizes and are used for both boys and girls.

Female length catheters can only ever be used for catheterising females and can never be used for males. There have been untoward incidents when a female length catheter has been used to catheterise a male patient, the balloon has then been inflated within the patient's urethra and caused significant trauma, bleeding and even death (NPSA, 2009).

Standard length catheters (sometimes referred to as male length) must be used for catheterising adult males, but may also occasionally be required for catheterising adult females.

Task 12

1

Under what circumstances might a standard length catheter be required for catheterising an adult female? Enter your answer here and then select Check answer. - If the patient is obese, to ensure the valve will not cause pressure between the legs - If the patient is bedbound - If the patient is wheelchair bound, to enable them to manage their own catheter more easily.