Kink, flow and retention properties of urinary catheters part 1: Conventional foley catheters

Abstract

The treatment for urinary incontinence, a common condition affecting a considerable number of older and disabled members of society, involves the use of a Foley catheter for drainage of the bladder. The basic design of the catheter has remained the same for over seventy years. Despite modifications to the materials used there has been very little research directly comparing the physical properties of the different types of catheter. This study developed a range of tests to enable comparison of the resistance to kinking, flow rate properties and the retention forces of both latex-based and all-silicone catheters. The results indicated that the all-silicone device had superior resistance to kinking and better flow properties when compared to the latex-based catheters. However, greater retention forces were recorded for the all-silicone device, in both the inflated and deflated condition, indicating that much more force would be required to remove the this type of catheter.