Incidence of iatrogenic urethral catheterisation injuries: A prospective multicentre audit

A Prospective Multi-institutional Study Using a Novel Safety Valve for the Prevention of Catheter Balloon Inflation Injury of the Urethra

“…This study reports a CBI rate of 5.5 per 1,000 catheterizations, a figure that is broadly similar to the CBI incidence of 6.7 per 1,000 catheter insertions estimated for 2 different Irish tertiary care institutions in 2016, 2 and that of 6.16 per 1,000 catheterizations estimated in a prospective multicenter audit conducted across 7 Irish and UK sites in 2020. 10 CBIs are potentially avoidable, can cause significant morbidity (and even mortality) for patients, generate significant additional health care costs, and have medicolegal implications for the practitioner and their institution. Out of the 18 documented CBIs in our study, the majority required further intervention, either in the form of catheterization over a guidewire or management in theater with cystoscopic guidance.…”

“…9 Over a 3-month study period, the total bed number across participating sites equated to (1,416D274) Â 3[5,070 hospital beds. The true incidence of CBI during the study period was calculated as the sum of confirmed cases of CBI (n [18) and the number of safety valve ventings over this corresponding period (n [10) divided by the approximate total number of hospital beds (n [5,070). This results in an injury rate of 28/5,070 catheterizations, ie, 5.5 per 1,000 catheterizations (95% CI: 3.8, 8.0).…”