catheter
[kath´ĕ-ter] a tubular, flexible instrument, passed through body channels for withdrawal of fluids from (or introduction of fluids into) a body cavity.

Straight catheters. May have one or two eyes, a round tip, or a “whistle” tip. These catheters are not self-retaining.
acorn-tipped catheter one used in
ureteropyelography to occlude the ureteral orifice and prevent backflow from the ureter during and following the injection of an opaque medium.
angiographic catheter one through which a contrast medium is injected for visualization of the vascular system of an organ. Such catheters may have preformed ends to facilitate selective locating (as in a renal or coronary vessel) from a remote entry site. They may be named according to the site of entry and destination, such as femoral-renal and brachial-coronary.
arterial catheter one inserted into an artery, used as part of a catheter-transducer-monitor system to continuously observe the
blood pressure of critically ill patients. An arterial catheter also may be inserted for x-ray studies of the arterial system and for delivery of chemotherapeutic agents directly into the arterial supply of malignant tumors.
atherectomy catheter a catheter containing a rotating cutter and a collecting chamber for debris, used for
atherectomy and
endarterectomy; it is inserted percutaneously under radiographic guidance.
balloon catheter (
balloon-tip catheter) a catheter with a balloon at the tip that may be inflated or deflated while the catheter is in place to create, enlarge, or occlude a passageway; see also
balloon angioplasty. The pressure-sensitive balloon may be used to facilitate
hemodynamic monitoring.
Braasch bulb catheter a bulb-tipped
ureteral catheter used for dilation and determination of the inner diameter of the ureter.
Brockenbrough transseptal catheter a specialized
cardiac catheter with a curved steel inner needle that can puncture the interatrial septum; used to catheterize the left ventricle when the aortic valve cannot be crossed in a retrograde approach.
cardiac catheter a long, fine catheter especially designed for passage into the chambers of the heart, usually through a peripheral blood vessel under fluoroscopic control. See also
cardiac catheterization.
condom catheter an external urinary collection device that fits over the penis like a
condom; used in the management of
urinary incontinence.
conical catheter a
ureteral catheter that has a cone-shaped tip designed to dilate the lumen.
Cournand catheter a
cardiac catheter with a single end hole; used for pressure measurement, usually in the right heart.
DeLee catheter a catheter used to suction meconium and amniotic debris from the nasopharynx and oropharynx of neonates.
directional atherectomy catheter a type of
atherectomy catheter whose direction can be shifted to shave off additional plaque.
double-channel catheter (
double-lumen catheter) (
dual-lumen catheter) a catheter with two channels, one for injection and the other for removal of fluids; called also
two-way catheter.
elbowed catheter a catheter bent at an angle near the beak, used in cases of enlarged prostate. Called also
prostatic catheter.
electrode catheter a
cardiac catheter containing one or more electrodes; it may be used to pace the heart or to deliver high-energy shocks.
end-hole catheter a
cardiac catheter with a hole in the tip, through which a guidewire may be passed or pressure monitored.
fluid-filled catheter an intravascular catheter connected by a saline-filled tube to an external pressure transducer; used to measure intravascular pressure.
Fogarty catheter a type of
balloon-tip catheter used to remove thrombi and emboli from blood vessels.
Foley catheter an
indwelling catheter retained in the bladder by a balloon inflated with air or liquid; see illustration.

Three-way Foley catheter. Three separate lumens are incorporated within the round shaft of the catheter for drainage of urine, inflation, and introduction of irrigating solutions into the bladder.
Gensini coronary catheter a catheter used for
coronary arteriography, having an end-hole to accommodate a guidewire or monitor pressure as well as side holes for rapid injection of large volumes of contrast material.
Groshong catheter a single or double lumen
cardiac catheter inserted into the right atrium with an external port. Unlike the
Hickman and
Broviac catheters, this type has a valve at the distal end, eliminating the need for clamping and preventing blood from entering it when not in use.
Gruentzig balloon catheter a flexible
balloon catheter with a short guidewire fixed to the tip, used for dilation of arterial stenoses; the balloon is made of low-compliance plastic to reduce the risk of arterial rupture.
Hickman catheter a type of
central venous catheter used for long term administration of substances via the venous system, such as antibiotics, total
parenteral nutrition, or chemotherapeutic agents; it can be used for continuous or intermittent administration and may have either a single or a double lumen.
indwelling catheter a
urethral catheter designed to be held in place to drain urine from the bladder.
Malecot catheter 2. a tube with an expanded tip that is used for gastrostomy feedings.
manometer-tipped catheter one with a small
pressure transducer on its tip; used in measuring intravascular or intracardiac pressure.
multipurpose catheter 1. a catheter with several functions or applications.
2. a catheter for coronary
angiography that is shaped so that it can be used in either coronary artery.
nasal catheter one made of flexible rubber or plastic with several holes near the end; used for the administration of oxygen. Called also
oropharyngeal catheter.
NIH catheter one used for
coronary arteriography; it has a closed end and several side holes for rapid injection of large volumes of contrast material.
olive-tip catheter a
ureteral catheter with an olive-shaped end, used to dilate a constricted ureteral orifice; larger sizes are also used for dilating or calibrating the diameter of urethral strictures.
pacing catheter a
cardiac catheter containing one or more electrodes on pacing wires; used as a temporary cardiac pacing lead.
pigtail catheter an
angiographic catheter ending in a tightly curled tip that resembles the tail of a pig.
preformed catheter a preshaped catheter designed to require less operator manipulation but usually restricted to a single function.
Robinson catheter a straight
urethral catheter with two to six openings to allow drainage, especially useful in the presence of blood clots which may occlude one or more openings.
snare catheter one designed to remove intracardiac catheter fragments or pacing leads introduced iatrogenically.
Sones coronary catheter a woven Dacron or polyurethane catheter used in
coronary arteriography to cannulate and deliver contrast material to the coronary arteries via the brachial artery.
Tenckhoff catheter a cuffed silicone catheter that is permanently inserted into the abdominal cavity for infusion of dialyzing solution in patients undergoing
peritoneal dialysis.
thermodilution catheter a catheter used in
thermodilution for introduction of the cold liquid indicator into the cardiovascular system.
toposcopic catheter a miniature catheter that can pass through narrow, tortuous vessels to convey chemotherapy directly to brain tumors.
tracheal catheter one with small holes at the end, especially designed for removal of secretions during tracheal
suctioning.
transluminal endarterectomy catheter a type of
atherectomy catheter with a conical cutting window, inserted through the lumen of the vessel; debris is collected in a special vacuum bottle.
transtracheal catheter a catheter inserted into the trachea through a tracheostomy for patients who cannot tolerate an oral or
nasal cannula.
ureteral catheter a long, small gauge catheter designed for insertion directly into a ureter, either through the urethra and bladder or posteriorly via the kidney.
urethral catheter any of various types of catheters designed for insertion via the urethra into the urinary bladder. See also
catheterization.
whistle-tip catheter a
urethral catheter with a terminal opening as well as a lateral one.
winged catheter a
urethral catheter that has winglike projections on the end to retain it in the bladder.
Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.