Common Urological Supply Terms

Are you or a loved one using a catheter? If so, you may want to familiarize yourself with the following urological supply terms:

• French or French Size: This refers to the diameter of a catheter. It varies between 5 French and can go as high as 36 French. The catheter becomes larger in diameter as the French size increases.
• Suprapubic Catheter: A procedure that is used to bypass the urethra and drain the bladder via an indwelling catheter to a collection device outside of the body. Usually located above the pelvic bone. Also known as a cystosomy.
• Balloon: Part of an indwelling catheter that is filled with an amount of fluid determined by your physician. This feature keeps the catheter within your body for constant bladder drainage.
• Intermittent Self Catheterization (ISC): The act of inserting a catheter, through the urethra, in a non-clinical setting at regular intervals to empty the bladder.
• Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): An infection of one of more parts of the urinary tract, including the urethra, bladder, kidneys and/or the ureter.
• Urethral Stricture: The narrowing of the urethra
• Lumen: Another word for the ‘tube’ of a catheter
• Irrigation: A continuous flow of fluid through the bladder with the use of a catheter
• Coudé: Curved catheter tip
• Foley: Indwelling catheter
• Texas or Condom Catheter: Male external catheter

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