Foley’s Baloon Catheter

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: A Foley catheter is a thin, sterile tube inserted into the bladder to drain urine. Because it can be left in place in the bladder for a period of time, it is also called an indwelling catheter. It is held in place with a balloon at the end, which is filled with sterile water to prevent the catheter from being removed from the bladder. The urine drains through the catheter tube into a collection bag, which is emptied when full. The procedure to insert a catheter is called catheterization. A Foley catheter is used with many disorders, procedures, or problems such as ;

• Retention of urine leading to urinary hesitancy, straining to urinate, decrease in size and force of the urinary stream, interruption of urinary stream, and sensation of incomplete emptying
• Obstruction of the urethra by an anatomical condition that makes it difficult for one to urinate
• Urine output monitoring in a critically ill or injured person
• Collection of a sterile urine specimen for diagnostic purposes
• Imaging study of the lower urinary tract
• After surgery