eMedicine Specialties > Clinical Procedures > Genitourinary Procedures

Urethral Catheterization, Women

Author: Gil Z Shlamovitz, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine; Attending Physician, Emergency Department, Windham Community Memorial Hospital, Willimantic, CT; Attending Physician, Emergency Department, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 17, 2009

Introduction

Urethral catheterization is a routine medical procedure that facilitates direct drainage of the urinary bladder.1 It may be used for diagnostic purposes (to help determine the etiology of various genitourinary conditions) or therapeutically (to relieve urinary retention, instill medication, or provide irrigation). Catheters may be inserted as an in-and-out procedure for immediate drainage, left in with a self-retaining device for short-term drainage as during surgery, or left indwelling for long-term drainage for patients with chronic urinary retention.

Patients of all ages may require urethral catheterization, but patients who are elderly or chronically ill are more likely to require indwelling catheters, which carry their own independent risks. The basic principles underlying urethral catheterization are gender-neutral, but the specific aspects important in the technique of female catheterization are described in this article.

For a procedural description for male patients, see Urethral Catheterization, Men.

Indications

  • Diagnostic
    • Collection of uncontaminated urine specimen
    • Monitoring of urine output
    • Imaging of the urinary tract
  • Therapeutic

Contraindications

More on Urethral Catheterization, Women

Overview: Urethral Catheterization, Women
Treatment & Medication: Urethral Catheterization, Women
Multimedia: Urethral Catheterization, Women
References
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References

  1. Ortega R, Ng L, Sekhar P, Song M. Videos in clinical medicine. Female urethral catheterization. N Engl J Med. Apr 3 2008;358(14):e15. [Medline].

  2. Selius BA, Subedi R. Urinary retention in adults: diagnosis and initial management. Am Fam Physician. Mar 1 2008;77(5):643-50. [Medline].

  3. Newman DK. The indwelling urinary catheter: principles for best practice. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. Nov-Dec 2007;34(6):655-61; quiz 662-3. [Medline].

  4. Tanabe P, Steinmann R, Anderson J, Johnson D, Metcalf S, Ring-Hurn E. Factors affecting pain scores during female urethral catheterization. Acad Emerg Med. Jun 2004;11(6):699-702. [Medline].

  5. Doherty W. Instillagel: an anaesthetic antiseptic gel for use in catheterization. Br J Nurs. Jan 28-Feb 10 1999;8(2):109-12. [Medline].

  6. Gerard LL, Cooper CS, Duethman KS, Gordley BM, Kleiber CM. Effectiveness of lidocaine lubricant for discomfort during pediatric urethral catheterization. J Urol. Aug 2003;170(2 Pt 1):564-7. [Medline].

  7. Wong ES, Hooton TM. Guideline for Prevention of Catheter-associated Urinary Tract Infections. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/gl_catheter_assoc.html. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site. Available at http://www.cdc.gov. Accessed July 10, 2009.

  8. Kunin CM. Urinary-catheter-associated infections in the elderly. Int J Antimicrob Agents. Aug 2006;28 Suppl 1:S78-81. [Medline].

  9. Hart S. Urinary catheterisation. Nurs Stand. Mar 12-18 2008;22(27):44-8. [Medline].

  10. Reichman E, Simon RR, eds. Emergency Medicine Procedures. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing; 2004.

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Further Reading

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Keywords

catheterization woman, female catheterization, Foley, foley, urethral catheter, urinary catheter, urethral catheterization, catheter placement, catheter insertion, foley catheter, urine specimen, urine output, urinary tract, urethral tear

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Gil Z Shlamovitz, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine; Attending Physician, Emergency Department, Windham Community Memorial Hospital, Willimantic, CT; Attending Physician, Emergency Department, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT
Gil Z Shlamovitz, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine and American College of Emergency Physicians
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Andrew K Chang, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center
Andrew K Chang, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Academy of Neurology, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Mary L Windle, PharmD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Luis M Lovato, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Director of Critical Care, Department of Emergency Medicine, Olive View/UCLA Medical Center
Luis M Lovato, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Jonathan Adler, MD, Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital; Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Jonathan Adler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Edward David Kim, MD, FACS, Professor of Surgery, Division of Urology, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine; Consulting Staff, University of Tennessee Medical Center
Edward David Kim, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Surgeons, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, American Society of Andrology, American Urological Association, and Tennessee Medical Association
Disclosure: Lilly Consulting fee Consulting; Astellas Consulting fee Speaking and teaching; Indevus Consulting fee Speaking and teaching

 
 
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