Indwelling Catheters

Indwelling Catheters - Bladder Catheters for the Urethrae

Urethral catheters drain urine from your bladder into a drainage bag outside your body. Transurethral indwelling catheters are placed in the bladder via the urethrae and redirect urine (as opposed to a suprapubic catheter which is inserted through a hole in the abdomen and then directly into the bladder). Common reasons for catheter use are after a surgery with subsequent bedrest or for catheterisation of patients with longer lasting urinary incontinence. Other situations that call for indwelling urinary catheters are severe urinary tract infections, long-term derivation for permanent urinary incontinence or urinary retention. Indwelling urinary catheters are ideal for long-term use as they can remain in the urethra for several weeks before they need to be replaced.

Balloon Catheters/Foley Catheters for Long-Term Transurethral Catheterisation

Balloon catheters, also known as Foley catheters or two-way catheters, are blocked in the urinary bladder with an inflatable balloon and thus securely fixed. Modern silicone-coated Foley catheters are usually dual lumen. One of the lumen of the Foley catheter is open at both ends and allows for urine drainage by connection to a drainage bag. The other lumen has a valve on the outside end and connects to a tiny balloon at the tip; the balloon is inflated with sterile water when it lies inside the bladder and allows for retention in the bladder.

Triple Lumen Catheters

Triple lumen catheters (or three-way catheters) have a draining lumen, a balloon inflation lumen and an irrigation lumen. Catheter use with this type of urethral catheter enables fluids to be introduced into the system through the irrigation lumen. Bladder irrigation is rarely performed nowadays, but there are many indications for instillation treatment in urology. In such cases, medication is introduced directly into the patient's bladder via the urinary catheter. We stock a high-quality silicone triple lumen catheter from Asid Bonz. The catheter has a particularly long sterile shelf life, a Nelaton catheter tip and is available in a range of sizes.

Nelaton Catheters

Nelaton catheters can be used to catheterise both men and women. The urinary catheters with lateral drainage eyes in the catheter tip (Nelaton tip) are usually made of silicone or siliconized latex. Atopic patients should rather be fitted with silicone urinary catheters. The catheters have a balloon for blocking (Foley catheter). The catheters are available with different balloon volumes, depending on requirements. Transurethral urinary diversion using Nelaton catheters is a common medical procedure. In addition to dual lumen indwelling catheters, triple lumen urinary catheters are used in urology. The third lumen of the disposable catheters is used for irrigation or drug instillation.

Tiemann Catheters

Tiemann catheters are used for bladder catheterisation in men. The tip of the urinary catheters is slightly curved and unlike the Nelaton catheters, which have two drainage eyes, this catheter type usually has only one eye. The special shape of the catheter tip allows transurethral urethral passage in difficult anatomical conditions. Tiemann disposable catheters are used, for example, in urology for patients with urethral strictures. The bladder catheters have a balloon for blocking (Foley catheter) and are usually about 40 cm long and available in different sizes according to Charrière. In our online shop you will find individually sterile packed Tiemann catheters with different balloon volumes depending on requirements.

Bladder Catheters in Various Sizes & Specifications

Catheter size relates to the thickness or diameter of the catheter and is measured in Charrière (CH). CH 16 - 20 are normally used for men, CH 12 - 14 for women and CH 6 - 10 for children. In addition to bladder catheters for adults, we offer Children's Latex Catheters and silicone catheters for children. The indwelling catheters can be made of silicone or siliconized latex and differ in their dwell time depending on the material.

Latex Catheters

Today's latex catheters are mostly siliconized and can be used without any problems except in cases of known latex allergy. Latex catheters have the advantage of being less expensive than silicone catheters, however the dwell time is shorter. This type of indwelling urinrary catheter is best suited for post-operative, short-term transurethral urinary diversion. You can buy latex catheters from us in various designs and at favourable prices.

Silicone Catheters

Silicone catheters are more expensive than siliconized latex catheters but have a much longer dwell time of up to several weeks. The high-quality material reduces allergic reactions and irritations. Silicone catheters are recommended for longer catheterisation periods.

Purchase Indwelling Catheters from Praxisdienst at a Great Price

In our online shop, you can buy catheters and catheter sets as well as sterile accessories for indwelling catheters, such as catheter bags. In the overview of the Lab Equipment category, alongside consumables such as urine bags and catheters, you will find other laboratory supplies such as tests for e.g. urine. 

To avoid complications such as infections of the urinary tract during insertion, and for optimal long-term catheter care, we also offer you a large selection of Disinfectants.

You would like to buy indwelling catheters and need help with your order? Our friendly service staff will be happy to help - via online contact request, telephone or convenient live chat.