Three-Way Irrigation

Determine the amount of irrigation used (the sterile fluid)

Determine the amount of fluid in the collection bag (irrigation and urine)

Subtract the irrigation amount from the amount in bag = urine produced

Some urinary catheter trivia: *

Ancient Syrians created catheters from reeds. "Katheter - καθετήρ" originally referred to an instrument that was inserted such as a plug.

The word "katheter" came from "kathiemai - καθίεμαι" meaning "to sit".

Ancient Greeks inserted a hollow metal tube through the urethra into the bladder to empty it and the tube came to be known as a "katheter".

Benjamin Franklin invented, but did not patent the flexible urinary catheter in 1752.

In the early 1900s, a Dubliner named WALSH and a famous Scottish urinologist called NORMAN GIBBON teamed together to create the standard catheter used in hospitals today. Named after the two creators, it was called (what else?) the Gibbon-Walsh catheter. The Gibbon and the Walsh catheters have been described and their advantages over other catheters shown. The Walsh catheter is particularly useful after prostatectomy for it drains the bladder without infection or clot retention.

The Gibbon catheter has largely obviated the necessity of performing emergency prostatectomy. It is also very useful in cases of urethral fistula. A simple procedure such as dilatation of the urethra and passage of a Gibbon catheter often causes the fistula to close. This catheter is also of use in the treatment of urethral stricture and, as a temporary measure, in the treatment of retention of urine caused by carcinoma of the prostate.

FREDERIC FOLEY studied languages at Yale, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1914, and then trained in medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, graduating in 1918. Foley first described the use of a self-retaining balloon catheter in 1929, to be used to achieve haemostasis after cystoscopic prostatectomy. He worked on development of this design for use as an indwelling urinary catheter, to provide continuous drainage of the bladder, in the 1930s. His design incorporated an inflatable balloon towards the tip of the tube which could be inflated inside the bladder to retain the catheter without external taping or strapping.

He demonstrated this to the American Urologists Society in 1935, and published a paper describing it in 1937.While he was still developing his catheter, a patent was issued to Paul Raiche of the Davol Rubber Company in Providence, RIin 1936.Four months later, in October 1936, Foley applied for the patent, and was awarded this after appearing before the patent office Board of Appeals. Raiche appealed this decision in court, and it was overturned, returning the patent to Raiche. A further request for a hearing made by Foley was refused, and so the patent stayed with Raiche.

The CR BARD COMPANY in New Jersey started distributing the catheters, under the name of Foley catheters, from 1935; consequently, the name has remained with Foley despite the patent having remained with the Davol Company. Although the materials used to make catheters have evolved, the basic design of the 1930s is unchanged.

David Sheridan wass the inventor of the modern disposable catheter in the 1940s. In his lifetime he started and sold four catheter companies and was dubbed the "Catheter King" by Forbes Magazine in 1988. He is also credited with the invention of the modern "disposable" plastic endotracheal tube now used routinely in surgery. Prior to his invention, red rubber tubes were used, sterilized, and then re-used which often led to the spread of disease and also held a high risk of infection. As a result Mr Sheridan is credited with saving thousands of lives.

Urine Trivia*

The average person makes 30mL of urine per hour (personal nursing school recollection)

Urine is typically sterile in the absence of a disease condition

Because of ammonia smell, in medieval times clothes were stored in a garderobe (literally 'to guard ones robes') close to the toilet shaft because the ammonia would kill the fleas.

Urine is not toxic.However, being a waste product, it does contain compounds undesirable to the body and can be irritating to skin and eyes.

After suitable processing (as is done, for example, on the International Space Station), it is possible to extract potable water from urine for drinking.

Up to 1948 some mothers fed their children roasted mice to cure their incontinence (Encyclopedia of Superstitions, 1949,  By Edwin Radford, Mona A. Radford) PS from this web page nurse-author.....: A superstition is an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear. This is definitely ineffective and NOT recommended!

*The foregoing, except where noted, was trivia compiled from articles appearing on Wikipedia.