complications
Last reviewed 01/2018
Potential complications include:
- traumatic injury - including the creation of a false passage and urethral rupture from balloon inflation; these are avoided by proper technique. It is not unusual to have a small amount of haematuria after an uneventful catheterisation.
- introduction of infection - in theory, this is prevented by aseptic technique but in practice, may be difficult to avoid.
- in chronic retention, catheterisation may produce a diuresis with subsequent dehydration if fluid replacement is inadequate