Indwelling urethral catheters in adults

Abstract

This article focuses on indwelling urethral catheters in adults, their indications for the short and long term use, the types of urinary catheters available in Malta, an overview of the basic structure of a catheter, and the complications of urinary catheter insertion and maintenance. An attempt has been made to address in some depth the most common complication of indwelling catheters – catheter associated urinary tract infection in terms of pathophysiology and its management. Simple but crucial recommendations in catheter maintenance have been provided as prevention is the key in reducing the incidence of catheter associated urinary infections.