title: The effect of acidic maintenance solutions on catheter longevity.
abstract: Long-term urinary catheterisation is rarely completely free of complications. Catheter blockage from mineral salt encrustation occurs in 40-50 per cent of patients. Recurrent blockage is distressing to patients and carers and costly to health services in both time and resources. Laboratory-based evidence shows acidic maintenance solutions can be effective in dissolving encrustations. This is supported by clinical experience but there are few clinical studies and no well-controlled clinical trials to date. This article examines the range of evidence for the effect of maintenance solutions on catheter longevity.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Southampton.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Getliffe
mesh_terms: D000892:Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018441:Biofilms; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002254:Carbonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002951:Citrates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008277:Magnesium Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008333:Mandelic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000892:Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary; D002254:Carbonates; D002951:Citrates; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008333:Mandelic Acids; C050615:Suby's G solution; D008277:Magnesium Oxide; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; D002710:Chlorhexidine