Understanding the Balloon Catheter
1:42 pm
A balloon catheter can help to ensure that your body is able to hold a catheter in it for a period of time. A traditional catheter, on the other hand, works to remain in the body for just a short period of time. When this happens, it is usually to allow for the removal of urine from the bladder. Once that occurs, the catheter is able to be extracted. In some cases, this is necessary only one time. In other cases, the doctor needs to collect your urine in a bag or otherwise outside the body. To do that, the doctor may use a balloon style catheter.
How Does It Work?
A balloon catheter is a very thin piece of tubing that is inserted into the bladder from the urethra. Once in place, the doctor will use a very small amount of sterile water to inflate a very small balloon that sits at the top of the tubing. Once inflated, this allows the device to remain in place. The balloon’s larger size is larger than that of the opening to the bladder and therefore the catheter cannot fall out. Once in place, the balloon will hold the catheter long term like this. Through a secondary opening in the tube, the bladder’s urine will consistently drain. The fluid drains from within the body to a bag or other collection device outside of the body. Read more…