In hospital or outpatient settings, the catheter is a very common medical device. In fact, it consists of a flexible tube that is introduced into a body cavity and can vary in different characteristics such as material, length or number of ends.All for diagnostic or even surgical and therapeutic purposes.
Primarily, a catheter is used to drain contents, such as urine from the bladder,introducing the tube from the urethra until it reaches the bladder.
The bladder catheter is then connected to an external bag for urine collection.
It is certainly not an easy-to-insert device,and for this reason it requires the presence of specialized medical personnel.
Let's now see what types of catheters exist on the market and what their main characteristics are.
How a bladder catheter is made
A first important distinction in choosing a bladder catheter is that it isof a device for men or women.
The main difference between the two is in terms of size, clearly also due to the different conformation of the male and female body.A men's bladder catheter is approximately 30-40 cm long, while if we talk about a women's bladder catheter the length is between 7 and 20 cm.
Another very important characteristic to take into consideration when choosing a catheter is the caliber, i.e. diameter of the tube itself.Typically, the Charrière is used as a unit of measurement, which is equivalent to 1/3 of mm.
One, two or three-way catheter
A catheter can have several outlets,these ways: these are small tubes that perform different tasks.
The single-way models are simply used for urine evacuation.Two-way catheters usually require an outlet for urine and a path for the anchoring balloon inside the bladder.
Finally, there are more complex models such as three-way bladder catheters: one for drainage,one for the balloon and the third for irrigation.
This last phase actually applies a principle contrary to that of drainage.In fact, irrigation is used by healthcare personnel to infuse saline solutions into the patient's body, especially after surgery on the bladder or prostate, to wash away blood and clots.
Types of catheter: Nelaton or Foley?
There are different types of catheters,based on their different use.
Nelaton catheter
The Nelaton catheter is a straight urinary drainage tube, sterile and disposable, used for both women and men.It is a very simple model, one way, and offers a system for immediate emptying of the bladder in case of emergency.
It is used in various areas, when it is necessary to collect sterile urine samples for culture, and can be removed immediately after emptying the bladder.To make its introduction less painful,the Nelaton catheter can also be sprinkled with lubricating and anesthetic gel before insertion.
One of its main features is the presence of a colored connector which allows you to immediately identify the caliber based on the unit of measurement typically used for catheters,like the Charrière.
Foley catheter
Another very common type of catheter is the Foley catheter.
It is positioned along the urethra and is anchored to the bladder via a balloon filled with physiological water.Typically it is a two-way catheter, one for the flow of urine towards the collection bag, while the other way has a valve on the external end and is connected to a balloon at the tip, inflated with physiological solution,which prevents the catheter from accidentally coming off.
Models of three-way Foley bladder catheter are becoming increasingly widespread, with the third conduit as mentioned used for irrigation of solutions inside the patient's body after surgery.
The material: latex,silicone or pvc
Very important in choosing the right catheter is also considering the material of which it is made, which varies depending on the use to be made of the device as well as any reactions that a body may have in the form of allergies.
For short-term catheterizations,within 7 days a latex catheter is indicated, generally the softest.Its very smooth surface, however, favors the formation of encrustations, and this is why it must be used for a more limited time.
For long-term treatments, even longer than 30 days, it is preferable to choose a silicone catheter,inert material which still ensures great softness.
For the need for intermittent catheterization, not therefore continuous, the use of PVC catheters is preferred, a physiologically harmless material with low risk of irritation of the mucosa, which requires a lubricating gel for its insertion,and which are often put on the market together with lubricating material.
Quality catheters on __KEEP_0__
As with any medical device, you must know how to choose only high quality products,both in terms of function and the material in which they are made.
A catheter is an object that touches very delicate parts of the human organism and therefore must be chosen with great care.
It is therefore better to be on the safe side, and contact retailers like __KEEP_0__,for years leader in the distribution of quality medical products.
The company offers a vast assortment of catheters, of various types and materials, as well as very useful accessories for their better use.
