Facts About Catheters and Back SurgeryThe word is enough to make a grown person cringe. When we think of catheters, we usually think of pain and discomfort and immobility. However, these are all common misconceptions. Catheters are an important part of the aftercare process immediately following back surgery. Catheters can be a bit daunting if you have never had the experience of one before, but it is important to know what to expect if you are going to have one. Answered below are some of the more common questions about catheters after back surgery. Why is a catheter needed? Catheters are needed to help you stay comfortable both during and after surgery. Without one, you would have to stand or sit to pee, something that isn’t really possible during or directly after back surgery. Catheters are also helpful in measuring your urine output post-surgery, to ensure that everything is functioning correctly. How long is it in for? This largely depends on how comfortable you are and how quickly you can get up and moving before they are ready to remove it. Once you have proven that you are capable of making it to the bathroom on your own, then they will most likely remove it. The average time a catheter is in for after a surgery is 12-48 hours. Is it risky to have a catheter? As long as they are inserted correctly, it is not risky to have a catheter. Keep in mind that once it is inserted, you should feel no urge to urinate at all. If you do, then it is important to tell your nurse so that the catheter can be repositioned properly. If you experience a great deal of pain and/or discomfort, speak to your nurse as well as this may also mean that the catheter is placed incorrectly. If you catheter is placed incorrectly it could very well cause an infection or other complications. Are there any special aftercare rituals to consider once the catheter is removed? There are no special after care things that you need to do after your catheter is removed. It is important to keep yourself well hydrated and frequently urinating to make sure that you do not get a UTI. Past that, the catheter should not change your recovery process at all. You may see small blood clots appear the first few times that you do urinate on your own. This is completely normal and as long as it does not continue on for a long period of time, you will be just fine. If the bleeding does continue, it is important to contact your doctor to get checked out before a serious infection develops. Despite some horror stories about catheters, they are a great help during the initial recovery process of back surgery. Without them, those first few hours/days would be a much more painful experience than they have to be. It may be uncomfortable at first, but it is worth it to have in the long run.
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