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What Does A Catheter Look Like?

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A Foley catheter is an silicon rubber tube usually made of plastic that is passed directly through the urethra and into the bladder in order to allow urine to run into a bag. The tube has two separated channels which run down its length. One channel gives the chance for urine to to drain out into a collection bag, while the other channel has a valve on the outside end and connects to a balloon at the tip; the balloon is inflated with sterile saline when it lies inside the bladder, to prevent it from slipping out.
Foley catheters come in several sub-types: "Coudé" named after the French word for elbow have a 45° bend at the tip to allow easier passage through an enlarged prostate. "Council tip" catheters have a small hole at the end which provides them to be passed over a wire. "Three way" or "triple lumen" catheters have an additional third channel, which is used to mix sterile saline or another irrigating solution.
A Foley catheter can also be used to "ripen" the cervix, which allows the induction of labour. It’s a simple process by inserting the balloon behind the cervical wall and inflated accordingly. The remaining length of the catheter is pulled slightly taut, and strapped with tape to the inside of the woman's leg. The inflated balloon then applies pressure to the cervix, as the baby's head would prior to labour, causing it to dilate.
Catheters are also used on patients who are anesthetized or sedated for surgery or other medical care, on comatose patients, incontinent patients, on patients with acute urinary retention and even patients who have had urethral surgeries.

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