dictionary

Catheter

Definition and types of catheters

The catheter is a cylindrical, hollow and generally flexible instrument, designed for insertion into a body cavity, in a duct of the organism or in one of its vessels. The purposes of this operation can be:

  • diagnostics (taking blood samples and monitoring organ functions):
  • therapeutic (to favor the spontaneous or aspirated drainage of the content, to introduce fluids, nutrients and medicines):
  • surgical procedures (microsurgery or anesthetic administration, such as in the epidural catheter).

Urinary catheters, for example, are introduced into the bladder through the urethra in order to drain the contents; this maneuver can be useful to avoid the inability to urinate by the patient or to empty the bladder and monitor diuresis before surgery.

Over the years, numerous types of catheters have been developed, in order to satisfy the various employment requirements in the best possible way; they differ according to the size, the material used and its flexibility, length and number of ways.

catheterization

The catheterization process is called catheterization .

In cardiac catheterization the catheter is generally introduced into the veins or arteries of the arms or legs, then advanced to reach the chambers of the heart. Here the catheter provides important data on organ function and health.

In angioplasty, a balloon catheter is introduced into a blood vessel in order to eliminate, or at least reduce, the narrowing of the vessel caliber. Once the intervention site is reached, to restore the obstructed patency of the vessel in a more or less complete manner, a controlled pressure swelling of the balloon is performed.

Associated risks

Especially in hospitalized patients, the application of a catheter is associated with an increased risk of more or less severe infections. This risk is contained by resorting to the catheter only in the presence of a real need, respecting some hygienic rules in its insertion (sterile devices, careful washing of hands, etc.) and removing it as soon as possible as soon as the indication of use ceases to exist.