Intermittent Catheters and Catheterization

[incon1982]

Clean Intermittent Catheterization or CIC is a procedure in which you learn to catheterize yourself when you need to urinate, by inserting a catheter into your urethra, usually about four times per day. The catheter is inserted and then the bladder is drained until it is time to urinate again. Clean intermittent catheterization is usually used by people who have difficulty emptying their bladder due to having a neurogenic bladder.

Because a foreign object (the catheter) is being inserted into the urethra, there is a chance of introducing bacteria into the urinary tract, which leads to greater instances of urinary tract infections. To reduce the risk of infection, be very careful to always keep the catheter free of bacteria and perform catheterization under the cleanest conditions possible. Because CIC drains the bladder, completely removing residual urine, it causes fewer urinary tract infections than using an indwelling catheter. It is usually the first choice of the three options when catheterization is necessary (aside from during surgery, when an indwelling catheter is used).

It can be challenging for some people to learn self-catheterization if they are hesitant about the procedure (although many people learn the procedure quickly and easily). Anyone first learning to do self-catheterization should do so under the guidance of a qualified medical professional.

There are a variety of different catheters available. Each catheter has its own advantages and disadvantages -- such a prelubricated and prepackaged one-use catheters. Talk to your medical professional for his or her advice on which catheter might be the best for you, and try several different options to find the safest and most comfortable option for you.

[BarrySimpson]

Thank you for posting this excellent summary of such an important subject.

I used intermittent urethral catheters between January and May 2013. They were not the best option for me, partly because of my spinal injury, but might be more suitable for others. They were replaced with a suprapubic catheter.

This replacement was for several reasons. I used intermittent catheters at intervals of 3-4 hours, a problem especially overnight, even in a spinal injuries hospital, where I stayed between January and early August 2013. Even at these intervals, I had 3 or 4 substantial leakages of urine from my urethra. I guess that gaining access to insert a catheter was a reason why underwear was not encouraged in hospital, which was not very pleasant and added to my feeling of abnormality.

Drinking plenty of fluids is widely recommended, especially among catheter users, to reduce the chances of urinary tract infections (UTIs). My urine output from 9.30am, when my leg bag is empty, to 4.30pm is typically around 600ml but can be up to a litre. From 4.30pm to 9pm, 500ml is usual, but from 9pm to 9.30am output is nearly always more than a litre, often nearly 2 litres. This would make a urethral catheter a big problem for me, especially overnight.

Added to these reasons for changing to a suprapubic catheter, my spinal injury has left me with only very limited use of my hands. In hospital, I practised inserting urethral catheters but found it difficult to clean my urethral opening adequately and to avoid touching anything which might infect the tip of the catheter. Usually I needed help from a nurse. On one such occasion, one of the nurses told me how much more difficult it was for ladies and that even she sometimes had a problem to find the correct position for the catheter. Perhaps some of your lady readers might like to comment.

[Hidden]

Hi some of the new ones out now have a lubrication system in the packet which you squeeze to activate.

I'm trying some to find ones i can get on with as having botox in bladder treatment and a one in a dogs life! that won't be able to go after so they want you to be able to ISC&find one that's ok before doing.

[incon1982 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, there are ICs now with the packets inside to activate the lube. 180 Medical in the US is a large distributor of IC products, and would have a range of IC products to select from for anyone looking for these newer products.