Urinary Catheterization Purposes | Catheter Types and Uses
Definition of Urinary Catheterization:
Urinary catheterization is the insertion of a special catheter into the urinary bladder, using aseptic technique, for the purposes of evacuating or instilling fluids. In urinary catheterization a latex, polyurethane, or silicone tube known as a urinary catheter is inserted into a patient’s bladder via the urethra.

Purposes of Urinary Catheterization:
The main purposes of cauterizations have pointed out in the below:
- To drain the bladder before, during, or after surgery.
- For the relief of bladder distention.
- For the control of incontinence.
- When an accurate measurement of urine output is necessary.
- For the orthopedic patient, those with casts, traction, pelvic fractures and the like.
- For the paralyzed or comatose patient.
- When a sterile specimen is required for a diagnostic purpose (culture and sensitivity).
- Often in the treatment of genitourinary difficulties -irrigation, instillation.
- During the menstrual cycle of the female when an uncontaminated specimen is required.
You may follow 20 Roles and Responsibilities of Orthopedic Nurse
Types of Catheterization:
It includes-
- Urethral catheterization
- Cardiac catheterization,
- Arterial catheterization,
- Ureteric catheterization,
- Suprapubic catheterization.
Types of Catheters:
There are four types of catheters such as-
- Rubber catheters.
- Polythene catheters.
- Hard rubber catheters
- Metal catheters.
Types of Urinary Catheter:
There are three main types of catheters:
1. Indwelling Catheters (Urethral or Suprapubic Catheters):
An indwelling catheter is a catheter that resides in the bladder. It may also be known as a Foley catheter. This type can be useful for both short and long periods of time. A doctor usually inserts an indwelling catheter into the bladder through the urethra.
2. External Catheters (Condom Catheters):
A condom catheter is a catheter placed outside the body. This type of catheter is typically necessary for men who don’t have urinary retention problems but have serious functional or mental disabilities, such as dementia. A device that looks like a condom covers the penis head. A tube leads from the condom device to a drainage bag.
3. Short-Term (Intermittent) Catheters:
Sometimes a patient only needs a catheter for a short period of time after surgery, after the bladder empties, it’s necessary to remove the short-term catheter.
More questions related to this article:
- Define catheterization.
- What do you mean by catheterization?
- What is urinary catheterization?
- Write down the purposes of catheterization.
- What are the purposes of catheterization?
- Why will you be done catheterization?
- Write down the types of catheterization.
- What are the types of catheterization?
- Write down the types of catheters.
- Write down the types of urinary catheter?

Maria Khatun Mona is a Founder and Editor of Nursing Exercise Blog. She is a Nursing and Midwifery Expert. Currently she is working as a “Senior Staff Nurse” at “Dinajpur Medical College Hospital”, Bangladesh. She has great passion in writing different articles on Nursing and Midwifery. Mail her at “maria.mona023@gmail.com”
