Inserting a Foley Catheter

Many patients with small burns have difficulty going to the bathroom (urinating), and patients with large burns will have difficulting urinating. A Foley catheter helps with this problem. The Foley catheter is a small rubber tube that is put into the bladder. Once the catheter is in place, a small balloon on the end of the catheter, positioned in the bladder, is filled with a small amount of sterile water. This balloon prevents the tube from falling out of the bladder. The catheter drains the urine produced by the body from the bladder, keeping it empty. The amount of urine that drains into a bag outside the body can be measured. Keeping track of the amount of urine is very important because it tells the physician if the patient needs more or less fluids through the IV.