About this topic
A suprapubic urinary catheter is a bendable rubber tube. It is put into an opening called a stoma. This is made in the lower belly wall that goes straight into the bladder. A bulb at the end of the tube sits against the bladder wall and keeps the tube from moving out of place. The catheter is used to drain urine from the bladder when the bladder is not working the right way or is blocked. This type of catheter may have less chance of infection. ‚
General
- The skin near the stoma should be cleaned every day and checked for signs of infection. These include redness, swelling, pus, and soreness.
Cleaning the Skin Near the Stoma ‚
You may take showers, but check with your doctor about bathing, hot tubs, and swimming pools. Avoid using creams, powders, or sprays near the tube site. ‚
- Get the things you will need:
- Gloves
- Warm water and nonscented soap
- Clean dry washcloth and towel
- Clean gauze bandage
- Surgical tape
- Plastic trash bag
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Put on clean gloves.
- Hold the skin on all sides of the stoma. Gently take off the bandage. Be careful not to pull out the catheter. Throw the bandage away in a trash bag.
- Check for lots of redness or swelling, colored or foul-smelling urine or drainage, or skin changes. These may be signs of an infection. Call your doctor.
- Hold the end of the catheter tube while cleaning.
- Wash the base of the catheter and the skin near the stoma with warm soap and water. Wash away from the stoma. Gently pat dry with a towel.
- Secure the catheter with a clean gauze bandage and tape.
- Throw away your gloves and wash your hands.
Emptying the Drain Bag ‚
You will need to empty the drain bag every 4 to 8 hours. Empty it when the bag is about 1/2 to 2/3 full. To drain the bag: ‚
- Wash your hands with soap and water before and after emptying the bag.
- Hold the bag over the toilet or over a large container.
- Open the drain spout and let urine flow into the toilet or container. Be careful that the tubing does not touch anything and be careful urine does not splash back on you.
- If you have been told to do so, record how much urine collects in the bag.
- Once the bag is drained, clean the spout as directed. Close the spout.
Cleaning the Drain Bag ‚
Clean your reusable bag every few days. To clean the bag: ‚
- Wash your hands with soap and water before and after cleaning the bag.
- Rinse the bag with soap and warm water.
- You can use vinegar to help with odor. Fill the bag with 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water to clean.
- Drain and rinse well.
Replacing the Drainage Bag ‚
Change your reusable bag every 5 to 7 days. To change the bag: ‚
- Wash your hands with soap and water before and after replacing the bag.
- Unwrap the new bag and loosen the cap.
- Take off the old bag. Make sure to clean up any urine that leaks out.
- Connect the new bag securely to the catheter.
- Drain the used bag and throw away.
Changing the Catheter ‚
Change your catheter every 4 to 10 weeks. Your doctor may suggest using a gel to help you get the new catheter in. Ask about the right gel to use. Do not let more than 2 hours pass between taking out the old catheter and putting in the new one. Your stoma could begin to close if you wait too long. ‚
You may have a little bleeding when the old catheter is taken out. This can be normal. If there is a lot of bleeding or the bleeding does not stop, call your doctor. ‚
To change your catheter: ‚
- Get the things you will need:
- New catheter
- Drainage bag
- Sterile gloves
- Syringe to remove water in the catheter balloon
- Clean sterile gauze bandage
- Surgical tape
- Plastic trash bag
- Wash your hands with soap and water before and after changing the catheter.
- Put on clean gloves.
- Take off the old bandage or dressing and throw away.
- Clean the skin at the site.
- Throw away your gloves.
- Open packages carefully before putting on sterile gloves so you do not infect yourself once gloved. Be careful not to contaminate the sterile items inside the packages, mainly the new catheter. It is very helpful to have someone help you.
- Put on sterile gloves and take care to keep things sterile at all times when working with the new catheter.
- Fix the new catheter as you have been trained.
- Using the syringe, remove all water from the old catheter bulb.
- Keep your fingers close to the site. Gently pull the catheter until it comes out. You can tell how far in the new catheter should go from the length of the catheter you took out.
- Clean the skin at site again.
- Make sure the drain bag is attached to the new catheter.
- Gently put the new catheter in as far as the old one had been.
- Once urine begins to flow, inflate the bulb with about 8 to 10 mL water or the amount given on the package. If you have pain or feel resistance, withdraw the catheter a little and try again. If you cannot get the catheter in, cover the opening and call your caregiver right away.
- Secure the catheter with a new bandage. Tubing should be loose so it does not pull on the catheter.
- Throw away your gloves and any old catheter supplies.
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Kidney damage
- Bladder injury
- Bladder stones
- Catheter gets displaced causing a leak or block
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, stomach pain.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the catheter site; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the site.
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Blood in urine
- Stones or sediment in the tubing or drain bag
- Sore near the tube
- Very bad bladder pain or spasms
- Urine leaking around the tube
- No urine flowing into the bag. This could be a sign that the tube is clogged.
- Tubing comes out
Helpful tips
To lower your chance of infection or other problems: ‚
- Always wash your hands before and after you care for your catheter.
- Check your catheter often to be sure it is in the right position and secure to avoid leakage at the stoma.
- Keep the urine drain bag below the level of your bladder.
- Make sure to keep the tubing free of kinks so the urine flows freely.
- Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothing over the tubing that could block the flow of urine.
- Do not reuse single-use drain bags.
- Drink lots of liquids each day. Avoid caffeine-containing drinks and beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol) which may bother the bladder.
- Eat lots of fiber each day to avoid hard stools. This will help to avoid a block and bladder pressure.
Where can I learn more?
About Kids Health ‚
http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/HealthAZ/TestsAndTreatments/MedicalDevices/Pages/Urinary-Catheter-Care-at-Home.aspx ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚