subject: How Catheters Can Help You [print this page] There are many times in life that people need to seek out medical attention. Whether the issue is big or small, it is inevitable that everyone goes to the doctors for either, exams, tests or just your occasional check-up. There are some incidences however, that call for something known as a catheter. In medicine, a catheter is a tube that can be inserted into a body cavity, duct, or vessel. Catheters work as a drainage system, allow doctors access for surgical tools and can be placed in an area for injecting fluids. Catheters are usually thin and flexible but can be large and solid for different procedures.
Certain incidences that might call for catheter usage could be:
- Draining urine from the bladder.
- Draining urine from the kidneys.
- Draining collections of fluid from the abdomen.
- The distribution of fluids into the body for medication or nutrition during pregnancy.
- A direct measure of blood pressure in an artery or vein.
- The distribution of anesthetic medication for incidences such as pregnancy or around a major grouping of nerves.
Catheters are normally made out of silicone rubber, latex or thermoplastic elastomers. Silicone is the most popular among these items because it is unreactive to body fluids and does not form a reaction with other medical fluids that could come in contact with it when using. Catheters have come in handy on numerous occasions for many different people with many different problems. If you or anyone you know is looking for catheters or catheter supplies, visit www.180medical.com for more information and check out their extensive listing of helpful catheters.
