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Indwelling Catheters

Collection of open-access resources supporting knowledge of conditions, technologies and devices

History of Indwelling Catheters

Indwelling urinary catheters have been utilized to empty the bladder since as early as 3000 B.C. In ancient Greek, the word catheter is derived from the word “kathie´nai”, which literally means ‘‘to thrust into’’ or ‘‘to send down’’ and was primarily used in men for urinary retention. These catheters were rigid and used intermittently.  It was not until the 18th century that urinary catheters were first fashioned from rudimentary rubber materials.

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Catheter Resource Guides
Catheter guides provided by the ANA and AHRQ

Streamlined Evidence-Based RN Tool: Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (CAUTI) Prevention

Nurse-Driven CAUTI Prevention: Saving Lives, Preventing Harm and Lowering Cost. Key Practice Strategies to Reduce CAUTI: 1) Fewer Catheters Used, 2) Timely Removal and 3) Insertion, Maintenance, and Post-Removal Care. Informed by Guidelines for Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CDC, 2017).
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AHRQ Safety Program for Reducing CAUTI in Hospitals

This guide and the appended tools are designed to support implementation of evidence-based practices and elimination of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) in your hospital unit.
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Videos
Clinical Conversations by Experts
Library Resources
State of the Evidence Review Articles
Written by Diane K. Newman DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
May 28, 2024
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
October 25, 2021
The 2009 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (UTIs) recommends catheter use only for appropriate indications.
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
November 16, 2021

There are other non-infectious IUC-related adverse effects that occur the longer an indwelling urinary catheter (IUC), particularly a transurethral IUC, is used for bladder drainage. They include catheter blockage, urine bypassing, bladder spasms, accidental catheter dislodgement, and non-deflating balloons.

Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
October 25, 2021
Each year, urinary catheters are inserted in more than 5 million patients in acute care hospitals and long-term care (LTC) facilities. Historically, indwelling urinary catheters (IUC) have been used in the chronically, medically compromised older adults.
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
October 21, 2021
In this resource article, Diane Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN provides best practices for the management of indwelling urinary catheters starting with documenting in the patient’s medical record all procedures involving the catheter or drainage system.
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
October 21, 2021
A catheter is inserted for continuous drainage of the bladder for two common bladder dysfunction : urinary incontinence (UI) and urinary retention. Indwelling urinary catheters are either inserted transurethrally or suprapubically.
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
October 21, 2021
Catheters are semi-rigid but flexible tubes. They drain the bladder but block the urethra.

The challenge is to produce a catheter that matches as closely as possible to the normal physiological and mechanical characteristics of the voiding system.
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
October 21, 2021
In this resource article, Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN provides techniques and procedures for use of indwelling catheters including appropriate urinary catheter use, examples of appropriate indications for indwelling urethral catheter use and more.
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
October 21, 2021
Catheter related problems due to an indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) have existed as long as urinary catheters have been utilized.
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
October 21, 2021
Indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs) are semi-rigid, flexible tubes. They drain the bladder but block the urethra. IUCshave double lumens, or separate channels, running down it lengthwise.
Written by Diane K. Newman, DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
April 5, 2020

Adherence to general infection control principles: Hand hygiene - the most important factor in preventing nosocomial infections, Aseptic catheter insertion, Proper Foley catheter maintenance, education, and care by nursing staff, Foley catheter use surveillance and feedback.

Written by Diane K. Newman DNP, ANP-BC, FAAN
October 21, 2021
Conference Coverage
Conference Highlights Written by Physician-Scientist
Presented by Nina Harke, MD
Dr. Harke presented their prospective study comparing different catheters for a different duration of time after robotic radical prostatectomy (RALP). This study won the best poster award at the ERUS 2018 meeting.
Presented by Megan Smith
Philadelphia, PA (UroToday.com) Air charged catheters (ACC) are one type of assessment tool used in UDS to quantify pressures acting on the bladder, urethra, and abdomen. For the first time, a 5Fr ACC is being developed for UDS studies.
Presented by Shannon Novosad, MD, MPH
Philadelphia, PA (UroToday.com) Shannon Novosad, MD, medical officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has opened Educational Course on Clinical Directions in Continence care by providing an overview
Presented by Yuding (Ding) Wang, MD
Yuding Wang, MD, and colleagues from McMaster University presented their initial results of an ultrasound compatible suprapubic catheter insertion training simulator at the CUA 2018 annual meeting.