urethral versus suprapubic catheterisation
Last reviewed 01/2018
Suprapubic catheterisation has the following advantages:
- less uncomfortable for the patient once complete
- cleaner
- easier to perform a trial without catheter; the suprapubic is simply spiggoted and unspiggoted if the trial fails
- particularly indicated if there is a history of surgery to the urethra, or if there is a known urethral stricture
Problems with suprapubic catheterisation include:
- previous lower abdominal surgery may cause difficulty, especially if there has been peritonitis after bowel perforation
- the midline should be avoided by 1 cm, and the catheter placed 2 cm above the symphisis pubis
- there must be bladder distension to allow palpation and accurate placement