A tiny, sterile tube called a Foley balloon catheter is used to drain urine from the bladder. It is also known as an indwelling catheter since it can be retained in the bladder for an extended amount of time.

1. Why would you use a Foley Catheter? Types and uses?
A tiny, sterile tube called a Foley balloon catheter is used to drain urine from the bladder. It
is also known as an indwelling catheter since it can be retained in the bladder for an extended
amount of time. A balloon at the end, which is filled with sterile water to keep the catheter
from being pulled out of the bladder, holds it in place. Through the catheter tubes, the urine
drains into a bag that is eventually emptied. Catheterization is the process of inserting a
catheter.
A sterile urinary catheter that remains in place for a long time is called a Foley catheter. A
balloon at the catheter's tip can be inflated inside the bladder to hold the Foley in place. The
bladder then releases urine through the catheter and into a collection bag. Another name for it
is an indwelling catheter.
When a patient is too ill, under aesthetic, or unable to urinate on their own due to a medical
condition, this type of catheter is used.
When is a Foley catheter used?
Where it is difficult for a person to urinate naturally, a Foley catheter is typically employed. It
can aid with several tests and to empty the bladder prior to or following surgery.
The following conditions call for the use of Foley catheters:
- To enable patients who cannot urinate because of bladder weakness or nerve injury.
-To allow a patient's urine to drain if the tube that removes urine from their bladder is
blocked (urethra). For instance, because of prostatic hypertrophy or scarring.
- If a patient is receiving an epidural anaesthesia during labour, the bladder will be drained.
- To drain a patient's bladder prior to, during, or following a surgical procedure.
-To administer medication directly into the bladder, as is done during bladder cancer
chemotherapy.
- As a last-resort treatment for urinary incontinence after all other options have failed.
How is a Foley catheter placed?

2. To avoid infection, the patient's vaginal area is cleaned. After that, the catheter is put into
their urethra. The balloon is filled to hold the catheter in place as soon as urine starts to flow
into the tubing. Then, a drainage bag is fastened to the open end.
What are the different Foley catheter sizes?
Similar to feeding tubes, the Foley catheter is measured in French units, each of which is
equivalent to 0.33 millimetres. There are many Foley catheter sizes available, ranging from
5fr to 26fr. The age of the person being catheterized will have an important impact on the
sizes of Foley catheters used in a certain setting. The doctor must be very careful to select the
appropriate Foley catheter sizes for you. An oversized catheter may cause discomfort and
make placement challenging. Kinking and urinary leakage might happen when the Foley
catheter diameters are too tiny.