Prevention of urinary catheter incrustations by acetohydroxamic acid.

Acetohydroxamic acid was administered in 5 patients to determine its effect in reducing urinary catheter incrustations. All patients had chronic indwelling catheters that required frequent changes because of severe incrustations and catheter occlusion. Incrustations were analyzed chemically for calcium, magnesium, ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus. The degree of incrustation before and during acetohydroxamic acid therapy was compared in each patient and was decreased significantly (average 81 per cent) during therapy (p less than 0.05). Catheter changes were required less frequently during therapy in all patients. Acetohydroxamic acid is effective in preventing catheter incrustations and should be considered in patients with this problem.