subject: Urinary Catheters: Versatile And Useful Medical Supplies To Ensure Good Health For All [print this page] Catheters are one of the most useful medical supplies that are used to drain fluids from the body. They are of immense importance for people suffering from urinary incontinence for the fact they are simple to use and effective to relieve people from their medical conditions. Urinary catheterization is useful for both males and females where with the help of a catheter device, one can ensure leading a happy and independent life.
Today catheter medical supplies are available in different sizes, materials, styles and models to cater the needs of patients. There are intermittent catheters, indwelling catheters, external catheters and also the condom catheters that are designed especially for male patients to give them a full control over their medical condition. A condom catheter is truly a boon for the male patients who now can easily manage their urinary incontinence by wearing a condom-like catheter device on their penis. Condom catheters generally contain a tube and bag to collect urine. To get desired results from a condom catheter, it is crucial that you use an appropriate size catheter that fits you best.
Urinary catheters can be used for short time or long time as par your individual medical condition. While short-term catheters are best to use during medical procedures and surgeries, long-term catheters are devices that give you true relief when it come to get recover from a serious injury or illness. Long-term catheters are also called Indwelling catheters or Foley catheters. Indwelling urethral catheters are generally inserted into the urethra to allow the bladder to drain away urine. They are used by both men and women and they are a perfect solution to the problems like obstruction (blockage in the urethra) and urinary retention in which there is always an incomplete bladder emptying.
Intermittent catheters are also a type of internal catheters that are inserted and removed only when needed. They are of short term use only where one can temporarily insert the catheter through the urethra (the tube that leads from the bladder to the outside opening) and facilitate emptying the bladder to drain away urine that otherwise retain in the bladder. One can easily remove the catheter once the flow of urine stops. Intermittent catheters come in different lengths and sizes for men, women and children. The most advance intermittent female catheter come with a thin surface coating that when immersed in water, make a very smooth and slippery film to make catheterization safe and comfortable for women. There are also a few options available for female external catheterization but they are not as popular and successful as they are for male patients.
