Definition
Urinary catheterization is the insertion of a catheter into a patient's bladder. The catheter is used as a conduit to drain urine from the bladder into an attached bag or container.
Purpose
Urinary catheterization is employed in hospital and nursing home settings to maintain urine output in patients who are undergoing surgery, or who are confined to the bed and physically unable to use a bedpan. Critically ill patients who require strict monitoring of urinary output are also frequently catheterized.
...Source: Encyclopedia of Medicine, ©2002 Gale Cengage. All Rights Reserved. Full copyright.
(The entire page is 1037 words.)
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