How to Care for a Catheter

Catheterization is often necessary for a number of medical reasons. They come in a wide variety of sizes, materials and types. Unfortunately, all catheters are notoriously associated with infection. To avoid infection, one must properly care for a catheter. Follow these steps to do so.

Things You'll Need

• Soap and water
• Vinegar
• Chlorine bleach

Instructions

1. Cleanse the urethral area, where the catheter exits the body, daily and after all bowel movements. Cleanse the catheter with soap and water after each urethral cleaning.

2. Drink eight to ten glasses of water a day and increase your general fluid intake to keep up urine production and avoid constipation, unless you are medically unable to increase your fluid intake. Constipation can cause urine leakage around the catheter.

3. Ensure that the drainage bag remains lower than the bladder, in order to prevent a back flow of urine into the bladder. Before sleeping, hang the drainage bag off the bed, but be careful not to let the bag pull on the catheter.

4. Empty the drainage bag at least every 8 hours, or when full, in order to prevent a back flow of urine into the bladder. Wash your hands before and after handling the drainage bag.

5. Ensure the drainage bag's outlet valve stays clean. If it becomes dirty, wash with soap and water.

6. Clean the drainage bag periodically by filling it with two parts vinegar or chlorine bleach to three parts water. Soak for 20 minutes, empty and hang up the bag with the outlet valve open to dry out the bag.

7. Replace a catheter according to your physician's advice.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the drainage tube doesn't become kinked by checking it often.

• Don't use any kind of ointment, lotion or powder on the catheter insertion site, as they can cause infection.

• If a catheter is leaking, consider the catheter size, balloon size, drainage, constipation and urinary tract infection. If you can't stop the leaking, contact your physician immediately.

• Notify the physician if the urine has a strong smell or becomes thick or cloudy, the patient has chills or a fever, swelling or bleeding occurs in or around the catheter, the catheter is draining little or no urine into drainage bag or if urine leaks around catheter.

• Don't have sexual intercourse if you have an indwelling catheter.