Catheterization - Managing Urinary Incontinence: Bladder Conditions

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Catheterization

If you are a man or woman with overflow incontinence because your bladder muscles are weak or your bladder does not completely empty for other reasons, such as complications of surgery for incontinence, you may be able to manage the situation with intermittent self-catheterization. For this approach, you urinate normally every few hours, trying to empty your bladder as completely as possible. Next you insert a small tube (the catheter) through the urethra into the bladder to drain any remaining urine into the toilet.

Although it may sound difficult, this technique is a major advance for people who need temporary or permanent help urinating. The procedure is not usually painful, and you do not need to keep the catheter sterile or use gloves. Urinary tract infections can be a problem, but this technique poses a smaller risk than would a permanent catheter.

Last updated:	September 05, 2008