Patient education: How to remove a urinary catheter (The Basics)

What is a urinary catheter? — A urinary catheter is a thin, flexible tube that drains urine from the bladder. One end of the catheter is inserted through the "urethra" (the opening where urine comes out of the body) and into the bladder. A small "balloon" filled with sterile water holds it in place. The other end of the catheter connects to a special bag outside of the body (figure 1). The bag holds the urine until you empty it.

When you no longer need a urinary catheter, your doctor might ask you to take it out yourself. It is important to do this safely to help lower the chance of injury or infection.

How do I remove a urinary catheter? — Wash your hands, and gather the supplies. You need an empty syringe or scissors, a towel, and a trash can.

To remove the catheter:

●Empty the drainage bag.

●Wash your hands.

●Get in a comfortable position. Some people lie on their back with their knees bent. Others find it more comfortable to stand.

●Place a towel under the catheter.

●Remove the tape or whatever is holding the catheter to your skin.

●Empty the balloon. This can be done in 2 ways.

•Use a syringe (figure 2):

-Put the syringe on the "balloon port" of the catheter. This is the end that is not connected to the drainage bag.

-The syringe should begin to fill with fluid from the balloon. You might need to lower the syringe to get the fluid to drain. If not, gently pull back on the syringe.

-If the syringe fills up with fluid, empty it and reattach it to the port. This will help make sure that all of the fluid is out of the balloon.

-You might need to repeat these steps a few times until all of the fluid is out of the balloon.

•Use scissors:

-Cut the tubing on the balloon port. Do not cut the catheter itself.

-A small amount of water should drain from the tube.

●Wait a few minutes to make sure that all of the water has drained out.

●Relax, and take deep breaths.

●Gently and slowly, pull the catheter out. If you feel any resistance, stop and call the doctor.

●Throw the catheter and drainage bag away.

●Wash your hands.

What problems can happen when removing a urinary catheter? — Usually, removing a urinary catheter should not cause any problems. If you are not able to urinate on your own, the catheter will need to be put back in.

Other problems can include:

●Meeting resistance when you try to gently remove the catheter

●Not being able to drain the fluid from the balloon

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if:

●You have any signs of infection – These include a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, chills, or a burning or painful feeling in your bladder.

●Your urine has blood in it, is dark or coffee colored, has bits of anything solid in it, or looks like pus.

●The catheter is stuck, or there is pain as you are taking it out.

●The catheter looks broken after you take it out.

●You are not able to urinate within 8 hours after taking out the catheter.

More on this topic

Patient education: How to care for a urinary catheter (The Basics)
Patient education: Urinary catheter placement (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use a catheter to empty the bladder (The Basics)
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