Pericatheter encrustations: an unusual cause of a retained Foley catheter

Abstract

Urethral catheterisation is a common bedside procedure in hospitals. After they have served their purpose, indwelling Foley catheters can be removed by deflating their balloon. The incidence of a retained Foley catheter, however, is not uncommon, failure to deflate the intravesicular balloon being the most common reason. Causes of retained Foley catheters are many and the method to deal with each varies with the inciting cause. Pericatheter concretion or encrustation, an unusual cause of difficulty in removal of the catheter, is often difficult to recognise and hence is prone to faulty management. We report a case of a patient with a retained Foley catheter due to pericatheter encrustations; multiple attempts to remove it were made before the patient presented to our hospital. The case is being reported for the unusual location of retention, and the associated diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma.

Trapped cystofix: Laparoscopic modality to untie

“…This may happen as a result of the catheter being kinked, twisted, or knotted, and also due to blockage by blood clots. 1 Rarely, plugging of the bladder mucosa into the side holes of the catheter may also happen which eventually causes AUR. In such cases, immediate removal of the catheter is not necessary.…”

“…The risk is higher with using catheters less than 10 Fr in size, insertion during an overdistended bladder, and a residual catheter of more than 10 cm length inside the bladder. 1 There are various techniques for percutaneous insertion of SPCs. These include direct puncture using SPC trocar, Seldinger technique, ultrasound-guided, and also via cystoscopy-guided.…”

Balloon bursting: transurethral puncture of a Foley catheter balloon

“…[ 5 ]. The problem may arise due to malfunction of the inflation valve (preventing return of fluid filling the balloon), physical damage to the inflation channel or obstruction [ 5 ] and encrustation [ 6 ].…”

Massive encrustations as a consequence of longterm indwelling urethral catheter: A rare case report

“…Proper antibiotic therapy for Proteus mirabilis should start immediately as soon as it appears in the urinary tract [ 8 ]. Intermittent balloon deflation and re-inflation to interrupt the formation of encrustations and bladder irrigation with an acidic solution are also recommended for long-term indwelling catheters [ 9 ]. Silicone catheters may be favorable for patients who need indwelling catheters since they are more resilient to encrustation than other types and are smaller in size [ 10 ].…”