A catheter (a hollow tube, often with an inflatable balloon tip)
may be inserted into the urinary bladder when there is a urinary
obstruction, following surgical procedures to the urethra, in
unconscious patients (due to surgical anesthesia, coma, etc.), or
for any other problem in which the bladder needs to be kept empty
(decompressed) and urinary flow assured.
Review Date: 03/22/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of
Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington, School of
Medicine; Scott Miller, MD, Urologist in private practice in
Atlanta, Georgia. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
