Why was the TEXAS CATHETER invented?

What is a Texas Catheter?

Urological incontinence of males often calls for a catheter to need to be utilized. What is medically known as a Foley catheter is what the hospital will utilize when a patient is bedridden and cannot void urine otherwise, but that means that the catheter is inserted into the urinary canal, and there is a very good chance that a urinary tract infection may result if it is left in too long, or just is utilized for too long. Different males react differently to a Foley.

Because of the problems associated with Foley catheters, medical authorities had to create a better solution. Not only were patients getting urinary tract infections, but also there was often a breakdown of the skin under the bed ridden patient if other means of collecting urine were utilized such as the preliminary kinds of Male External Catheters (MEC), or Texas Catheter. The biggest reason for skin breakdown was that initially the catheter leaked, so urine would gather under the patient, and eventually skin breakdown would of course occur.

The external catheter has a lot going for it in the modern medical practice, a well fitted catheter will not leak, and the patient can be easily rolled off his back to give his skin a chance to breathe, thus preventing skin breakdown. The male external catheter is made in different sizes to accommodate different sized penises. For those who have never seen or utilized an external catheter, they basically look like a condom, and thus are rolled onto the penis. The use of a condom catheter has brought tremendous freedom to many men who heretofore could not leave their homes because of the pain involved with Foley catheters, as well as their ongoing urinary tract infections.

Expertise with a Texas Catheter points to various hints that the caregiver or nurse’s helper may utilize in putting on the catheter on a patient. First, because some men are substantially hairy and thus may have pubic hair caught under the catheter, a little bit of “personal grooming” is usually indicated, making the genital area have shorter pubic hair where the catheter will be rolled up to. Secondly, those who are to take care of applying the Texas catheter should understand that there is a good reason why they are made in different sizes. The glans or head of the man’s penis needs to fit into the MEC securely prior to it being rolled upward. If the male catheter is utilized in the wrong size, either the head of the penis will not fit, or the fit will be too loose, and the result will be leakage.

Finally, those with expertise with such catheters suggest that if the patient begins to suffer from the latex that the catheters are made of they may want to switch to a catheter made of silicone. Male external catheters made of silicone are much safer for the skin, and softer than latex.  This style of MEC has an adhesive lining on the inside for a secure fit and prevents leaks.