A comparison of open and closed catheterization techniques in rehabilitation patients.

An effective method was sought to decrease the incidence of urinary tract infections acquired by hospitalized rehabilitation patients requiring catheterization. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a difference in the incidence of urinary tract infections that occurred following use of two types of intermittent catheterization techniques: open catheterization and closed catheterization. The incidence of infection in both the control (open catheterization) and experimental (closed catheterization) groups was analyzed. In the control group, 9 of 14 patients (5 stroke, 4 spinal cord injured [SCI]) completed all four urine tests. Two patients developed a 20,000 colony count of enterococcus on the fourth urine sample using open catheterization. In the experimental group, 11 (4 stroke, 7 SCI) out of 16 patients maintained colony counts below 100,000 organisms per ml; one patient had a 16,000 colony count using closed catheterization. Qualitative data revealed that patients had a positive response to the closed system.