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Catheter
A catheter is a hollow tube that is inserted into the body and used to drain or inject fluids, to insert a surgical instrument, or to expand a part of the body. Commonly placed in veins, blood vessels and ducts, catheters are used for both diagnostic and treatment purposes (1). They are used in trauma care, intensive care and long term treatment, such as chemotherapy. A surgical procedure may be required to place a catheter, which can be flexible ("soft") or rigid ("hard").
There are many types of catheters and they are described using different terminology, depending on their function and the site of insertion. Common types include: Foley catheters, which are inserted into the bladder and used to drain urine; intravascular catheters, which are inserted through veins; and cardiac ablation catheters, which are inserted through blood vessels into the heart and then used to eliminate, or ablate, areas of the heart that are interfering with normal cardiac function (2).
Depending on its function, a catheter may be used several times each day and for different purposes. This benefits the patient because it reduces the need for multiple injection sites. However, it also increases the risk of infection. The site of the catheter must be routinely cleaned and regularly monitored for signs of infection. Catheters have been linked to local and systemic infections, which can lead to death (3). The insertion of a catheter can also cause damage, or trauma, to tissue. If there is significant injury to an area due to trauma, it is not advisable to insert a catheter (4).
The use of the catheter can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, and the disposable catheter was invented in the 1940s. Innovations in catheter technology have both increased its uses and minimized the discomfort it causes.
- National Institute of Health. MedLine Plus. "Cardiac Cathertization." 17 July 2006. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003419.htm. 13 July 2007.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Heart Health Online." 26 October 2004. http://www.fda.gov/hearthealth/treatments/medicaldevices/cardiacablationcatheter.html. 13 July 2007.
- O'Grady, Naomi P., M.D., et al. "Guidelines for the Prevention of Intravascular Catheter-Related Infections." 9 August 2002. Centers for Disease Control. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5110a1.htm. 13 July 2007.
- University of Ottawa, Department of Emergency Medicine. "Urinary Catheter Insertion." 2003. http://intermed.med.uottawa.ca/procedures/ucath/. 13 July 2007.