Indwelling Foley/Urinary Catheter Care

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  • A urinary catheter is a flexible plastic tube used to drain urine from the bladder when a person cannot urinate.
  • If you are helping a loved one with a catheter, try to be as relaxed as possible. Caring for a catheter can be embarrassing for both of you.
  • Always wash your hands before and after handling a catheter.
  • Clean the area around the catheter with soap and water twice a day. Change the location in which the catheter is taped or fixed on the body every day. (Male patients may have the catheter fixed on either side of his lower abdomen; female patients may have the catheter taped on either the thighs).
  • Check for inflammation or signs of infection in the area around the catheter. Signs of infection include pus or irritated, swollen, red, or tender skin.
  • Drink plenty of water to increase urine output. (Target urine output > 1500ml/day)
  • Avoid compressing, twisting, or kinking the foley catheter. Regularly squeezes the catheter to avoid obstruction.
  • Keep the urine collection bag below the level of the bladder but do not let it drag on the floor.
  • Do not apply powder or lotion to the skin around the catheter.
  • A person should not have sexual intercourse while wearing a catheter.
  • Do not attempt to remove the catheter by yourself as it may cause urethral damage.
  • Drain the collection bag when it is 2/3 full.
  • To prevent long term indwelling infection, all forms of exposed tubes and catheter must be changed regularly. In general, plain latex catheters need to be changed more frequently than silicone catheters. Follow-up regularly at the urology outpatient department or the relevant department.
  • Eating more vitamin C rich foods (such as: oranges, guava, tomatoes and papaya) may help to prevent urinary tract infections.
  • If there are a signs of urinary tract infection such as fever, chills, pain in the urethra, foul smelling urine, blood or pus in the urine, please consult a doctor immediately.
  • Other signs to consider：
    1. No urine or very little urine is flowing into the collection bag for 4 hours or more.
    2. There is new pain in the belly or pelvic area.
    3. Urine is leaking from the insertion site.
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