Everything comes with risk even things that are supposed to help us.  Such is the case in the medical world, many of us have looked at the list of potential side effects that comes with medication and thought “It sounds more dangerous to treat it than just deal with it.” The same concern applies to products that are not ingested but instead are applied to or inserted in the body.   We often do not think about the risks that come with things like a Foley catheter.

Catheters are often used on patients during and after surgeries as well as individuals who are in a coma or paralyzed and unable to use a urinal or toilet. They are also used in assisting with enlarged prostates that have caused the urine to be cut off from the bladder. This a temporary solution until the issue can be permanently treated.  Catheters are also used to induce labor in females.

The catheter balloon has the most issues when it comes to insertion.  The balloon is connected to a valve on one of the lumens. It is filled with sterile saline when it is inside the bladder. This prevents it from slipping out.  When be inserted into the bladder the balloon could potentially break. If this occurs the doctor simply removes the balloon debris.  The balloon could also not inflate once it has been inserted. Though the doctor checks the balloon before insertion it could still potentially not inflate once in. These issues are minor and more annoying than frightening because they simply involve having to try again with a new catheter.

More threatening is the rupture of the balloon before the catheter has been inserted completely. This can cause bleeding and even rupture the urethra itself leaving the individual with permanent damage.  In addition, anytime a foreign object is inserted into the body there is the risk of infection. The chance of this happening increases the longer the catheter remains in the body.

While the potential risks are scary, especially those involving infection, they can be prevented with proper hygiene and care. Individuals are advised to wash their hands before and after touching the catheter. Make sure the skin around the catheter is clean, drink plenty of liquids, wear cotton underwear and do not pull on the tubing. It’s also important for the individual to notify their doctor of any changes involving the catheter.