The innovative products, which are offered as the flexible tube devices and instruments within the scope of the medical aids, have contributed to the fact that the catheters in particular have largely lost their terror.
What is a catheter?
A catheter is usually a flexible tube made of plastic that is inserted into hollow organs or body cavities for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. It is often used for the induction of drugs. Catheters have become indispensable devices for penetrating a wide variety of anatomical cavities in the human body. The term catheter refers to a variety of designs, each of which is categorized according to its intended use, the length of time it remains in the organ, and its structure. In terms of basic design, the catheter is a tube-shaped device that is open on both sides. If the catheter is inserted into a selected organ, it is referred to as catheterization or catheterization. If a catheter is in place for a long-term treatment or examination, professional catheter care must be performed to prevent infection.
Forms, types, and styles
If catheters remain in one position for only a short period of time, such as only during a surgical procedure, they are called disposable catheters. For staying in place for a longer period of time, physicians use what are called permanent or indwelling catheters. Different catheters are used for catheterizing the various anatomically preformed body cavities. Among others, catheters for the heart and vessels are known as venous or cardiac catheters, for the trachea as endotracheal catheters, and for the urinary tract as bladder or ureteral catheters. In detoxification therapy, the Shaldon catheters and in the intestinal tract the enterostomy catheters play an important role. Depending on their optics, there are the balloon and balloon irrigation catheters in standardized sizes in medicine. These specifications in Charrière are based on the diameter determined at the outer edge of the catheter.
Structure, function and mode of action
When selecting catheters, it is important to have a specific design that meets a desired objective. In order to make catheterization as painless and as comfortable as possible for patients, the flexible catheters made of soft, slippery materials such as latex, silicone or pliable plastics are primarily used. The term catheter refers to a variety of designs, each of which is categorized according to its intended use, the length of time it remains in the organ, and its structure. Not in every case can these catheters be inserted without difficulty due to the morphological nature of the organ to be examined or treated. In certain cases, physicians have to resort to catheters made of harder materials such as well-tolerated metals or even glass, which are harmless to health. Differences in the construction of each type of catheter occur at the walls and open sides. Some catheters have so-called “eyes or holes” at one or both openings. In coordination with the individual body dimensions and the alternating size of body cavities in patients different length dimensions are selected. Special types of catheters are equipped with graduation. Other variants are made of materials that have a certain radiopacity.
Medical and health benefits
Catheterization occupies a significant place in the context of diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting a wide variety of organs and organ systems. Sometimes, the use of a sterile catheter can also alleviate certain symptoms and provide those affected with a better quality of life. Nevertheless, a catheter always remains a foreign body and should not remain in a body cavity longer than really necessary. When assessing whether or not a catheter needs to be placed, specific reasons for the disease are important. Particularly with regard to bladder catheters, diseases such as a voiding disorder of the bladder, urinary retention, inflammation of the prostate with an obstruction of the urinary tract or a special treatment with chemotherapeutic agents are occasions that require a catheter. Under completely different aspects a catheter is placed in the heart or a blood vessel.These catheters favor a radiological examination of the heart. A catheter in the kidneys, also known as a nephrostomy in medical terminology, is justified when the kidneys no longer function adequately, for example due to tumors, and can no longer drain the urine. If patients suffer from increased mucus formation in the trachea and this can no longer be removed by themselves due to extensive functional impairments, an endotracheally placed catheter serves as a suction aid. Through this catheter, the ability to breathe can be improved and the clogging of the trachea with viscous mucus is reduced quite significantly.
