Intermittent self-catheterization: principles and practice

Intermittent self-catheterization (ISC) is becoming more widely used by patients to drain their urinary bladder rather than having a long-term indwelling urinary catheter. ISC can be undertaken by people of all ages to empty their bladder of urine or by a nurse or doctor to measure residual urine after the patient has passed urine. Those patients unable to undertake the procedure themselves may have the procedure undertaken by a parent, spouse, carer or nurse to drain their bladder of urine. Modern day intermittent catheters can be used almost anywhere when drainage of the urinary bladder is required.