Avoiding the pitfalls and perils of catheter care.

Twelve per cent of hospital inpatients and 4% of community patients have an indwelling urinary catheter. Urinary catheterization increases morbidity threefold. The main hazards of catheterization are tissue damage, bladder damage, infection, encrustation and blockage. Obtaining informed consent before catheterization is extremely important. Restricting catheterization to those who clinically require this invasive procedure can reduce the number of people who are exposed to the hazards of catheterization. The use of silver-coated catheters can reduce the risk of infection and encrustation. Ensuring that practice is evidence-based further reduces the risks of catheterization.