InstantCath from Hollister: pre-lubricated self-catheterization.

Over the centuries a variety of substances have been used to make a hollow tube to pass through the urethra to empty a poorly functioning bladder. The ancient Greeks used dried water reeds from the riverbank. The Romans and the Egyptians experimented with gold and silver. Following the industrial revolution stainless steel was used and catheters are still manufactured today using stainless steel. PVC and plastic catheters became popular in the 1970s and various hydrophilic coatings have been added to provide self-lubrication of the catheter when it comes into contact with water. The most recent development in the clean, intermittent self-catheterization (CISC) range is the Hollister InstantCath which is a self-lubricating catheter that does not require any water. It has shown itself to be well received by patients and is a welcome addition to the choice available to healthcare professionals and their patients when instigating CISC as therapy.