A catheter is a medical device made of thin tube that is inserted in the body cavity. It is commonly used for draining liquid out of the body. Thus, a catheter is most commonly used by those who have urinary incontinence and urinary tract infection. They use urine catheters. Catheterization is the term used for inserting the catheter into the body cavity. Self catheters are catheters that can be inserted or used by the individual without the assistance of a doctor or medical practitioner. Basically the catheter urinary and male catheter includes a prelubricated needle, the filter, the case, the cap and the tube. At present there are catheters for men and catheters for women. Catheters are made from different materials, such as silicone, nylon, latex, polyurethane and thermoplastic elastomers. The most preferred material is the silicone. This is because the body fluids and other medical fluids do not react to silicone unlike the other materials. Moreover, the silicone unlike the polymer is tougher and less likely to have fractures.
For men, there are different types of male catheter. There are the standard male catheter, the indwelling catheter Foley and the condom catheter. The standard male catheter is the type that allows for self catheterization. It has a thin tube that can easily be inserted in the body. The indwelling catheter is the type of male catheter that has a balloon at the end. The balloon is the inflated once it has been inserted in the body. This balloon then prevents the catheter to slip down. Compared with the standard male catheter, this is more likely to cause urinary tract infection especially if used over extended period of time. The condom catheter, which is also commonly called Texas catheter, is the type of male catheter is similar to a condom. It is used in the same way that one uses a condom. Part of the catheter is fit into the penis. At the end is a tube that collects the urine. It is generally used over short period of time because prolonged use can cause urinary tract infection. The friction caused by the condom male catheter can also damage the penis and may cause blockage in the urethra. Male catheters come in different sizes. There are even catheters for children.
For women, there are the intermittent and the external catheters. The intermittent catheter for women is used by women who cannot completely empty their bladder of by those who have urinary incontinence. The urinary incontinence is usually brought about by damage to the spinal cord. The intermittent catheter for women comes with a tube that is inserted in the labia. These are antibacterial to prevent urinary tract infection. The external catheter has collecting device or pouch that collects the urine. The catheter for women, similar with those of the men comes in different sizes.