When life hands you a catheter,
are UTIs on your mind?
If you use a catheter there’s a chance that you are vulnerable to urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs can be difficult to talk about to loved ones as well as your healthcare provider. Not only can UTIs be painful and disruptive, but their impact can also be difficult to explain. Sometimes it can feel like you are in a bubble.
UTI risk factors
Understanding the factors that can raise your risk of contracting a urinary tract infection is essential. It can help you decrease your chances of having a UTI. This guide can also help you explain your concerns to your nurse or doctor, because talking about UTIs and feeling understood could be your first step to leaving your UTI bubble behind.
“It is like finding your glass slipper when you find the product that is your preference. For me, SpeediCath® Compact Female gave me freedom, it gave me independence, and it gave me dignity. That’s something that I couldn’t find with other products.”
Julie
Julie is a SpeediCath® user who has received compensation from Coloplast to provide this information. Each person's situation is unique so your experience may not be the same. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether this product is right for you.
Emptying your bladder completely** every time you catheterize is critical.
When your bladder is not emptied completely,** your risk of getting a UTI is higher.
While catheterizing, it is possible to encounter interruptions in urine flow, even if your bladder is not entirely empty.
If your bladder is not completely emptied during catheterization, bacteria can rapidly multiply in both the urine and the bladder, increasing the risk of developing a UTI over time.
Repositioning the catheter until the bladder is completely empty is important to help reduce your risk of UTIs.
Less friction, less risk of UTIs1, 2
When there is less friction, there’s less risk of harming your urethra,* and less risk of UTIs.1
The catheter coating plays a key role in the protection of the urethra from complications and UTIs.
Unfortunately, not all hydrophilic coatings are the same.
All SpeediCath® catheters come with the unique Triple Action Coating Technology, which reduces the risk of UTI’s1, 2 and ensures the SpeediCath® catheter is smooth and stays smooth during insertion and withdrawal.
Prior to use, refer to product labeling for complete product instructions for use, contraindications, warnings and precautions.
*With valid prescription. Limitations apply.
** Complete bladder emptying is an established concept in literature by Kennelly et al (2019) (1) & EAUN guidelines (2013) (2). Disclaimer to be used in marketing material: “Complete bladder emptying is defined as <10 mL (CP353, NCT05485922)”
1. Compared to uncoated catheters
2. Rognoni C, Tarricone R. Intermittent catheterisation with hydrophilic and non-hydrophilic urinary catheters: systematic literature review and meta-analyses. BMC Urol. 2017 Jan 10;17(1):4. doi: 10.1186/s12894-016-0191-1. PMID: 28073354; PMCID: PMC5225586.