Children's Community Nursing Service, Richmond
About a trial without catheter
We will remove your catheter and check if you can urinate normally without one.
Alternative to the trial
The only alternative to a trial without catheter is to leave the catheter in place.
Side effects
Common
- Mild burning or bleeding when passing urine for a short period afterwards.
Occasional
- Failure to empty your bladder which will result in re-catheterisation, or being taught intermittent self-catheterisation.
Rare
- The nurse is not able to re-insert a catheter. If this happens, the doctor would need to do it.
- An introducer is needed to re-insert a catheter. This is a guide wire that is inserted into the urethra to guide the catheter into bladder.
- A catheter has to be inserted through a hole in your tummy (abdomen) and then directly into your bladder. This is called a 'suprapubic catheter'. This procedure can be done under general anaesthetic, epidural anaesthetic or local anaesthetic.
Things to check before your appointment
- Ideally, you should have a catheter valve for 7 days before the catheter removal.
If your urine is draining into a bag worn on your leg, this needs to be changed to just a valve. If you attend with a leg bag, we may need to reschedule your appointment.
If you are not sure what you have, contact the Urology department using the number below or the number on your appointment letter.
If you have been discharged from hospital after urological surgery, there may be a reason why you have a bag. Speak to one of the Urology nurses to check.
- Your bowels must be opening regularly. If you are constipated, ask your pharmacist or GP for a laxative. This is because being constipated will greatly affect your ability to pass urine. Your catheter will not be removed if you are constipated.
- Drink a pint of water (or dilute non-alcoholic fluid, such as squash) an hour prior to your appointment. This is to fill up your bladder.
- Bring your walking stick or frame with you, if you use one.
- Tell us before your appointment if you are unable to sit or stand without help. Use the number at the top of your appointment letter or the contact details at the bottom of this leaflet.
Things to bring with you
Bring with you:
- a spare set of lower body clothing
- a book, newspaper or SMART phone to pass the time. Our staff can lock your phone away securely during the procedure. At other times, you are responsible for the security of any valuable items you bring with you
- a snack or money to buy some lunch, if necessary
- any medication that you take at lunchtime.
What the procedure involves
- You would have this done as an outpatient.
- Allow up to 6 hours for your visit.
- You will be asked to loosen or remove your lower half of clothes to allow the nurse access to the catheter.
- The nurse will use a syringe to withdraw the water from the small balloon that holds your catheter in place.
- The nurse will gently removed your catheter.
- You will be asked to sit in the waiting room and drink some more water, if necessary.
- Once your bladder feels full, you will be asked to pass urine into a flowmeter, a toilet that measures the flow of urine.
- We will then do a quick scan to see if there is any urine left in your bladder.
What anaesthetic is used
No anaesthetic is needed for removal of catheter. You can eat and drink as normal. The procedure is usually painless.
What happens afterwards
After the catheter is removed and you have done a flow test, the nurse will keep you informed of how well you are passing your urine. They will tell you if you need another catheter(s).
You will need to pass urine twice in a normal way before going home. The nurse will let you know when you are ready to leave the hospital.
What to look out for
If you are unable to pass urine at all, you may need to have a catheter re-inserted:
Who to contact
Contact details for our teams can be found below.
Contact information
Urodynamics Nurses, Urodynamics Unit, Corridor E of Outpatients
020 8934 3038
Urology Consultants' secretaries
020 8934 6041
Clinical Nurse Specialist for Urology Oncology
020 8934 2729