Urinary Catheter: Purpose, Types, Placement Complications What is a catheter and what is it used for? A urinary catheter is a thin, flexible, rubber or plastic tube It drains urine (pee) from your urinary bladder when you can’t pee on your own They come in different sizes and shapes, so anyone can use them
Urinary Catheters: Uses, Types, and Complications - Healthline There are three main types of catheters: An indwelling catheter is a catheter that sits in the bladder It may also be known as a Foley catheter This type can be useful for short and long
What is a Urinary Catheter? - UPMC Health Library A urinary catheter, also called a Foley catheter or in-dwelling catheter, is a personal medical device designed to help your bladder empty when you can't do it on your own A urinary catheter is a very thin, flexible tube that travels through your urethra and into your bladder
About Your Urinary (Foley) Catheter: How To Clean and Care for It Your Foley catheter is a thin, flexible tube placed through your urethra (the small tube that carries urine from your bladder to outside your body) and into your bladder Your Foley catheter drains your urine (pee) It’s held inside your bladder by a balloon filled with water
Urinary catheters - NHS A urinary catheter is usually used when people have difficulty peeing (urinating) naturally It can also be used to empty the bladder before or after surgery and to help perform certain tests