New catheter technology works for you
If you use a catheter, you are not alone. For a wide variety of medical reasons, many men, women, and children must use catheters daily to empty their bladder, either in a short or long term scenario. In the past, catheters were hard and uncomfortable to use. You had to lubricate them separately, touch them and the lubrication gel, causing a mess, and carry the long catheters around. It could be embarrassing. Today, though, there are many advances in catheter technology that eliminate many of these problems.
Worried your catheter is too big to take outside your home? Catheters now come in a “lipstick” or compact size which is a convenient short tube from which the catheter springs, or unfolds, within its case. A great example is the Coloplast SpeediCath® Compact Catheter for Women. This small catheter can be easily tucked into a purse or pocket and comes in a variety of sizes. It is already lubricated, so you don’t have to carry a separate lubricant, which is great if you are a person who needs to be on the go and doesn’t want to carry a bunch of supplies with you.
Another type of pre-lubricated catheter is the Coloplast SpeediCath® Hydrophilic Catheters-Female, Straight, and Coude. This catheter comes sealed in a lubricant-filled package and the hydrophilic coating material is designed to not need extra lubricant. While these aren’t packaged compactly, they do beat having to carry a long catheter with you that is hard and inflexible. The hydrophilic coating in these gives them a flexibility that is comfortable to your body.
If you are concerned with keeping your catheter as sterile as possible, Hollister makes the Hollister® Apogee® Closed System Intermittent Catheters - Sterile. These are completely self-contained catheters that do not require you to touch any part of the in-going catheter. They are pre-lubricated and even come in a drainage bag that stores the catheter sterilely before you use it and works as a urine drain bag while you are using the catheter. They have pre-marked measurements for quantity and cause no mess. You also don’t have to be around a toilet to use them. These are flexible and soft catheters giving you comfort and cleanliness.
Many catheter brands and styles come in all French sizes and designs (shorter length for women or smaller pediatric sized, for example). Please check our selection further at our Catheter page.
