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I dette webinaret hører du Consultant Urological Surgeon Erik Sagen snakke om godartet prostataforstørrelse, hvilke symptomer dette kan gi og behanlingsalternativer.

For those who cannot empty their bladder the normal way, intermittent catheterization is the therapy of choice to maintain urethral health. Complications are common but when hydrophilic single-use catheters entered the market, the risks of UTI dropped significantly. Low friction seemed to be key to maintain urethral health. Today, there is only one hydrophilic catheter that is scientifically proven to reduce complications also after long-term use.

Introduction of a no-touch catheter/technique for intermittent catheterization seems to be well accepted both by caregivers and patients and it is not necessarily associated with higher costs. On the contrary, it could potentially reduce costs, saving time and errors in the healthcare system and reduce infection complications in general. The clinical evidence level is low for using no-touch technique/catheter to reduce UTIs but current available studies suggest benefits of it.

Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are common in the hospital setting with consequential morbidity and mortality. The risk of bacterial adhesion and invasion of the urinary tract increases with use of an indwelling catheterization and may be reduced by adopting intermittent catheterization using hydrophilic single-use catheters.

At Wellspect HealthCare we take our environmental responsibility seriously. We continuously work to minimize the environmental impact related to our products. We ensure that proper materials are used and all applicable production requirements are followed. For the LoFric catheter, this means that we use a core catheter material with proven low environmental impact as compared to other common catheter materials1 without compromising quality and patient perception.2 3 In fact, the core material of LoFric has been proven to optimize catheter management and reduce discomfort.2

Single-use hydrophilic catheters were developed in the early eighties to address long-term complications of intermittent catheterization as seen when reusing plastic catheters with add-on lubrication. As reported by Wyndaele and Maes1 and Perrouin-Verbe et al.2 the majority of complications related to intermittent catheterization occur after long-term use as a result of damage to the urethral wall from repeated catheterizations. In contrast, long-term use of LoFric hydrophilic catheters is reported to prevent urethral trauma and complications.3 4

Urine often has a high concentration of particles and low content of water. This is referred to as high osmolality. Urine osmolality has a direct effect on catheter lubrication and plays an important role for people who use hydrophilic catheters. Catheters with a surface osmolality in balance with urine is key to reducing withdrawal friction.

A lubricated catheter is recommended to reduce damage to the urethra and lower the risk of hematuria which is a common complication. A cross-over study comparing different hydrophilic catheters showed an even lower frequency of hematuria in patients who chose LoFric.

Bladder instillation is used for local administration of drugs into the bladder. This is used for treatment of interstitial cystitis and cancer, for example. Drugs are being delivered by catheters and a hydrophilic-coated surface such as that of the LoFric catheters reduces the risk for trauma associated with instillation therapy.

Patient adherence plays a key role in a successful and cost-effective catheterization treatment. A patient who feels part of the decision-making, in control of his options and how they work with his lifestyle is more inclined to stick with his therapy and subsequently experience a good clinical outcome.