Is transurethral catheterisation the ideal method of bladder drainage? A survey of patient satisfaction with indwelling transurethral urinary catheters.
OBJECTIVE
Bladder catheterisation is a routine part of major abdominal surgery. Transurethral catheterisation is the most common method of bladder drainage but is also notorious for its discomfort and increased risk of urinary tract infection. The present study aimed to establish patient satisfaction with transurethral catheterisation and to assess the incidence of clinically significant urinary tract infections after transurethral catheterisation through survey.


METHODS
All patients who underwent major open abdominal surgery between October 2006 and December 2008 and required standard transurethral bladder catheterisation, were asked to participate in the study. Fifty patients were recruited.


RESULTS
Male patients were more dissatisfied than their female counterparts with transurethral catheterisation (satisfaction score: 4.18/10 vs. 2.75/10; p = 0.05). Male patients had more than double the score for pain at the urinary meatus with the catheter in situ (p =0.012) and during urine catheter removal (p = 0.013). Half the patients in the study also had symptoms of urinary tract infection after catheter removal.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study emphasised the discomfort of transurethral urinary catheters, especially in male patients, and the high incidence of urinary tract infections in both sexes. Consideration should be given to the utilisation of alternative methods of bladder drainage, such as suprapubic catheterisation, which can be performed with ease during laparotomy.
Tan
Glenn Wei Leong
GW
Department of General Surgery, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore. glenn_tan@ttsh.com.sg
Chan
Siew Pang
SP
Ho
Choon Kiat
CK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology