In the clinical always meet some "know how" patients or family members, according to the patient's condition when the urinary catheter, these know how patients or family members will jump out and say, our disease is not a big problem we do not go down the urinary catheter, just give us a little medicine on it, don't give me down the urinary catheter, I've been on the Internet to find out, down the urinary catheter will get urinary tract infections, you just want to make me spend more money, but also not comfortable with that I don't want to suffer from that. You just want me to spend more money, and I don't want to suffer from the discomfort of a urinary catheter, but is that really the case? The following content to help you solve the problem.
The urinary catheter is an indispensable part of the clinical medical operation, however, in the process of indwelling urinary catheter, if you do not pay attention to hygiene and operation standard, it is easy to cause urinary tract infection.
Indwelling urinary catheter may lead to urinary tract infection, also depends on the method and environment of using urinary catheter. In clinical treatment, the use of urinary catheter is very common, it can help patients to urinate and reduce the pressure of the bladder, then, how to avoid the occurrence of urinary tract infection?
1. Keep the urethra clean:Before inserting the urinary catheter, the urethra and the surrounding area must be cleaned to avoid bacterial invasion of the urethra. Strictly observe the principle of aseptic operation. Before inserting a urinary catheter, make sure your hands are clean and wear sterile gloves to avoid bringing bacteria into the urethra. At the same time, make sure that the head end of the urinary catheter has been sterilized, and use sterile gauze to wrap the urinary catheter.       
2. When inserting a urinary catheter, make sure that it is inserted at the right depth and angle. Insertion that is too deep or too shallow can lead to urinary tract infections. In general, the depth of insertion should reach the urethra and the angle of insertion should be about 45° to the skin.     
3. Keep the urethral opening dry during indwelling urinary catheterization. During urinary catheterization, the urethral opening should be cleaned regularly and make sure that it remains dry. This helps prevent bacteria from multiplying in the urethra, thus reducing the risk of urinary tract infection. It is also important to sterilize the urinary catheter and urethral opening. Once a day is generally recommended to prevent bacteria from multiplying around the urethra. At the same time, make sure that the urethra is properly secured to avoid kinking or bending the urethra and dislodging it.        
4. After the urethral tube is in place, make sure the patient drinks plenty of fluids. Urine can help prevent urinary tract infections by flushing the urethra. At the same time, avoid having sex while the urethra is in place to avoid congestion and infection of the urethra, increasing the risk of urinary tract infection.   
5. During the period of indwelling urinary catheter, if you find urinary tract infection and abnormal symptoms appear, such as frequent urination, urgency, painful urination, etc., treat the infection promptly:You should notify your healthcare provider immediately and follow the doctor's treatment recommendations. During the period of infection, sexual intercourse should be avoided to minimize irritation of the urethra.      
6. Change the urinary catheter regularly:According to medical advice, it is usually necessary to check the area around the urinary catheter every day to ensure that the catheter is not contaminated. As soon as a contaminated or damaged urinary catheter is found, it should be replaced with a new one and make sure that the new one has been fitted correctly.
The fact that a urinary tract infection occurs depends on a number of factors. First, if nurses follow strict aseptic procedures when inserting catheters and during catheterization, the chances of urinary tract infections can be greatly reduced. Second, as the catheter is left in place for longer periods of time, and as the patient ages, the more likely that urinary tract infections will occur. However, if you take care of the urethral opening during the catheterization period, such as disinfecting the urethral opening, bladder irrigation and personal hygiene, and drinking plenty of lukewarm water, the chance of urinary tract infections can be reduced.    
Therefore, indwelling urinary catheter does not necessarily lead to urinary tract infection, but requires attention to aseptic operation and urinary catheter care to reduce the risk of infection.