How To Care For A Foley Catheter
1:18 pm
The Foley catheter is a type of catheter that is often used in patients that are incontinent. The Foley catheter is inserted into the bladder and has small, flexible, latex tubes. The tubes carry urine flow from the bladder out of the body for collection and disposal. While the catheter is helpful for your urinary needs, it must be kept clean and free of bacteria.
It is important to properly care for your Foley catheter. The design allows for bacteria to accumulate in the tubes. This can cause urinary or bladder infections if not properly treated. The tubes themselves are sterile when inserted into the body. However, as the patient uses the Foley catheter, the tubes can become partially filled with old urine. This urine contains bacteria that can lead to infection.