title: Optimal filling solution for silicone Foley catheter balloons.
abstract: We assessed whether saline, sterile water, or air better maintained filling volume and diameter in a veterinary silicone Foley bulb. The bulbs of 45 8-French silicone Foley catheters were inflated: 15 with 5 mL of sterile water (SW bulbs), 15 with 0.9% saline (S bulbs), and 15 with air (A bulbs). The bulbs were submerged in 30 mL of synthetic urine in a 50 mL conical tube in a 38°C water bath. Five catheters from each group were removed on days 3, 5, and 10 to measure bulb volume and diameter. On days 3 and 5, volume and diameter of SW or S bulbs were significantly greater than those of A bulbs, but were not significantly different from one another. At day 10, only 1 S bulb remained intact, 4 of the 5 SW bulbs were intact, the average volume of the SW bulbs was 2.8 mL, and the A bulbs were all deflated. We conclude that sterile water and 0.9% saline are both acceptable for Foley bulb inflation of 5 d or less, but sterile water might be preferred if bulb inflation must be maintained for more than 5 d.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Columbia, College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA. sharpeglasper@gmail.com
authors.forename: Shaunita J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sharpe
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Charles E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Wiedmeyer
authors.forename: Colette
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wagner-Mann
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Thomovsky
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D000818:Animals; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013997:Time Factors; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D012965:Sodium Chloride