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Going Home with a Urinary Catheter after Female Pelvic Surgery

Presenting Author(s)

Margot Gurganus, MD, MPH (she/her/hers)

Resident Physician
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

Co-Author(s)

SS

Shalini Subbarao, MD (she/her/hers)

Resident Physician
University of Virginia Department of OB/GYN
Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
Elisa R. Trowbridge, MD

Professor/ Division Director
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia, United States

Objectives: To increase patient comfort with caring for a postoperative urinary catheter following female pelvic surgery and to provide a Urogynecology-specific, patient-centered video reviewing the indwelling urinary catheter and its care.

Methods: We created a concise educational video covering topics of catheter indications, care, removal, and frequently asked questions. The video depicts this in an informative manner with accessible, person-first language, estimated to be readable at an approximately 5th grade level. The combination of still graphics and videos shot in recognizable areas of the clinic were used to familiarize patients with the urinary catheter and its components.

Clinical Relevance: In the Urogynecology patient population, approximately 3-45% of patients have transient urinary retention requiring them to be discharged home with recommendations for an indwelling foley catheter.1 Upon review of the existing available patient-centered resources, there are limited videos for women undergoing pelvic surgery. A study evaluating patient experience after urogynecologic surgeries found that 6% of patients considered going home with a catheter to be a postoperative complication and 14% felt unprepared to cope with a catheter at home.2 The goal of this patient-centered video is to reframe patients’ perception on this important part of postoperative care and improve overall patient experience following urogynecologic surgery. This educational video can be distributed to patients who need an indwelling catheter after surgery to ease their concerns about catheter care, increase their sense of control in their recovery process, and reduce the number of after-hour phone calls regarding frequently-asked catheter questions.