Clean intermittent catheterization in Saudi children. Suggestion for a common protocol.

In the last thirty years, clean intermittent catheterization of urinary bladder has proven to be one of the most important advances in Urology. Clean intermittent catheterizationis already utilized in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but the materials and the methods in use are not always the most appropriate. The acceptance of the long-term treatment with clean intermittent catheterization among Saudi families does not seem to be adequate. Moreover, the knowledge and the agreement about clean intermittent catheterization by Saudi Medical Community, and even among Urologists, does not seem to be satisfactory everywhere. We analyzed many different catheters and their cost. We prepared a list of suggestions about clean intermittent catheterization materials and methods. Following this protocol, the majority of the parents of our patients, properly informed and trained, do now understand very well the aims and the advantages of the method. Consequently we realized the problems are not necessarily coming from the patients and their families, but eventually from the inadequacy of our educational and supportive system. In this review, we present our common protocol for clean intermittent catheterization in children, hoping to avoid some mistakes and improve the quality of life of these patients. As cultural background, on the base of our own experience, we reanalyze the principles, indications, results, contraindications, and complications of clean intermittent catheterization in children.