HOW TO CATHETERIZE YOURSELF USING CLEAN TECHNIQUE (Male Patient)

1. Gather the necessary equipment: towelettes (or a soapy washcloth and a wet washcloth for rinsing), a towel, a container for collecting the urine (if toilet is not available), water-soluble lubricant, and a catheter (#14 French, long, -- but catheter size may vary). You may use a coude‚ or elbow shaped catheter as instructed by your doctor or nurse. You may also have on hand an anesthetic lubricant such as 'lidocaine jelly'.

2. Wash your hands, then assume a comfortable position in bed or on the toilet. If you are in bed, place a towel under your hips to protect the bedding.

3. Wash the head of the penis with a towelette or soapy washcloth. Then rinse with a wet washcloth.

4. Apply lubricant to the insertion end of the catheter (lubricate about two inches of tubing). If you lubricate more than that, you may have trouble holding the catheter firmly as you insert the catheter. Use a WATER soluble lubricant such as KY Jelly.

5. Use your nondominant hand to hold the shaft of the penis straight and upward. This position makes catheter insertion easier.

6. Hold the catheter in your dominant hand and insert it into the urinary opening about eight to ten inches into the bladder. Lengths vary, but when the bladder is reached, urine will flow easily.

7. When urine starts to flow, let the penis return to its natural position. Hold the catheter in place until the bladder has been drained. When the urine flow begins to taper off, slowly withdraw the catheter. (As you do, you may note an increase in urine flow as urine pockets are drained.)

8. Remove the catheter. Wash it in warm, soapy water, and rinse it THOROUGHLY. Then air-dry it and store it in a dry paper or cloth towel until you need it again. At the end of one week, discard the catheter. If it becomes hard to clean before then, use a new one.

9. Observe the urine drainage for changes. If you note any change in color or odor or if the urine appears cloudy, contact your nurse or doctor. Also call if you have:

• Bleeding
• Sediment in the urine
• Back or abdominal discomfort accompanied by a fever
• Trouble passing the catheter or increased discomfort when passing the catheter.

10. Catheterize periodically to maintain bladder volumes around 12-13 ounces (or a bit more than half a pint), which is the best volume for maintaining a healthy bladder and kidneys.

TIPS FOR MANAGING RECURRENT URINARY INFECTIONS

1. Increase frequency of catheterizations to every four hours around the clock.

2. Hold the catheter and container below the level of the bladder while draining so to insure complete emptying of bladder. For patients who are in bed or in a wheelchair, this means holding catheter and recepticle well below the hip to allow adequate drainage of urine under force of gravity.

3. After voiding, the catheter should be removed slowly to allow complete emptying of bladder and urethra.

4. Catheters with blunt tips can harbor bacteria in the end even after rinsing and air-drying. A catheter with a small hole in the tip (called a Councill-tip catheter) can be used instead to allow adequate drainage between catheterizations.

5. Catheters can be sterilized in the microwave after use. Setting should be at 1050 watts for 12 minutes.