A urinary catheter is a small, flexible tube that can be inserted through the urethra and into the bladder, allowing urine to drain. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body.
An indwelling Foley catheter remains in place continuously. To keep the catheter from slipping out, there is a balloon on one end that is inflated with sterile water after that end is inside the bladder.
Current as of:
March 1, 2023
Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review: E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine Brian D. O'Brien MD - Internal Medicine Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine Avery L. Seifert MD - Urology Elizabeth T. Russo MD - Internal Medicine
Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Brian D. O'Brien MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Avery L. Seifert MD - Urology & Elizabeth T. Russo MD - Internal Medicine