How to Place a Urinary Catheter

Dating back to the Ancient Syrians and Greeks, catheters are one of man's oldest medical devices. The main function of a catheter is to drain fluids from the body. A urinary catheter, as its name suggests, helps to drain urine from the bladder. There are a variety of reasons one might need a urinary catheter, such as bladder stones, blood infections, blood in the urine, skin breakdown, urethral injury, or urinary tract or kidney infections. There are two types of urinary catheters, long-term or indwelling catheters, which must be inserted by a urologist, and short-term catheters, which you may insert yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Latex gloves
• Antiseptic
• Catheter
• Lubricant
• Syringe with water
• Drainage bag

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Instructions

• 1

  Gather and put together all equipment that you will need: catheter, lubricant, sterile, latex gloves, antiseptic, syringe with water to inflate balloon and a drainage receptacle. This includes attaching the drainage bag to the catheter.

• 2

  Clean and sanitize your hands and the urethra. You may soak gauze or swabs with betadine or another similar product to cleanse the opening of the urethra. For women, you will need to also clean the labia, and use downward strokes when cleaning the urethra. The anal area must be avoided, as you do not want fecal matter coming in contact with the newly cleansed area.

• 3

  Put on the gloves, ensuring that you do not touch the outside of the gloves, de-sanitizing them.

• 4

  Rub the lubricant on the catheter.

• 5

  For men, take the penis by the sides and hold it perpendicular to the body, stretching it away from the body as much as possible. For women, locate the opening of the urethra, just below the clitoris and above the vaginal opening. Spread the labia for easier access and view.

• 6

  Insert the catheter, slowly and gently.

• 7

  Use deep breaths to relax the external sphincter, as you will encounter some resistance and rigidity when you reach the area. Continue advancing the catheter.

• 8

  Advance the catheter to the level of the "Y" connector, once urine has begun to flow. The "Y" connector is located near the end of the catheter, and is shaped like a letter "T" or "Y".

• 9

  Inflate the balloon (if a balloon is necessary, as with long-term catheters) as you hold the catheter steady. Men can develop urethral injuries if the balloon is inflated while still in the urethra, so ensure that the catheter is in the bladder by flushing out the catheter with just a few ounces of sterile water. The catheter is not inserted far enough into the bladder if the sterile water has any difficulty in returning. When urine begins to flow, you need to get the catheter at least to the level of the "Y" connector. Once this is achieved, hold the catheter steady and use the syringe and water to inflate the balloon. There should be no pain. If there is, simply stop, deflate the balloon, advance the catheter another two inches and try again.

• 10

  Remove the catheter, if it is for intermittent or one-time use, after urination has completed. If it is reusable, clean the catheter immediately; otherwise, you can discard it.