PRIMARY NURSING SCRIPT

Okay so we’re done with the definition, next is we’re going to talk about the types of
catheter..

Catheters are commonly made of rubber or plastics although they may be made from
latex, silicone, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC). They are sized by the diameter of the lumen
using the French (Fr) scale: the larger the number, the larger the lumen.

Okay so first is we have the straight catheter. catheter also called an intermittent
catheter is a single lumen tube with a small eye or opening about 1.25cm from the
insertion tip to pass urine from the body. Straight catheters are only used one time and
then thrown away. These catheters are usually made of PVC.

Next is we have the indwelling / retention (Foley catheter)

The retention, or Foley, catheter is a double-lumen catheter. The outside end of this
two-way retention catheter is bifurcated; that is, it has two openings, one to drain urine,
the other to inflate balloon. The larger lumen drains urine from the bladder and the
second smaller lumen is used to inflate the balloon near the tip of the catheter to hold
the catheter in place within the bladder.

So we have a variation of the indwelling catheter which is called coude’ (elbowed)

catheter

So what is the difference of this catheter to the foley catheter? which has curved tip.
This is sometimes used for men who have a hypertrophied prostate, because its tip is
somewhat stiffer than a regular catheter and thus it can be better controlled during
insertion, and passage is often less traumatic.

Next is the 3 way catheter

The three-way catheter has a third lumen through which sterile irrigation fluid can flow
into the bladder.

Irrigation is a procedure used to wash out your bladder. The bladder will be irrigated
(flushed) with saline (salt water) to keep the urine draining freely through the catheter
and to keep the catheter from getting plugged. The fluid exits the bladder through the
drainage lumen, along with the urine.
Then we have the EXTERNAL CATHETER

SPECIFIC SIZES OF CATHETER

Catheter sizes are color-coded at the balloon inflation site for easy identification. The
relative size of a Foley catheter is described using French units (Fr). 1 Fr is equivalent
to 0.33 mm = .013" = 1/77" in diameter.

• Larger Fr sizes (e.g., 20-24 Fr) are most commonly used for drainage of blood
clots.

• The most commonly utilized indwelling transurethral and suprapubic catheters

range from 14 to 16Fr in both adult females and males.

• A 14 or 16 Fr is also the standard catheter in most commercially available IUC

insertion kits or trays.

• In adolescents, catheter size 14 Fr is often used but for younger children,

pediatric catheter sizes of 6-12 Fr are preferred.