Culture of mid catheter urine collected via an open-ended catheter: a reliable guide to bladder bacteriuria.

Colony counts were compared from urine samples obtained by suprapubic aspiration and via a short, wide bore, open-ended urethral catheter. We studied 30 female patients in whom suprapubic aspiration of bladder urine was necessary to confirm the presence of bacteriuria with conventional or fastidious organisms. Catheterization was done immediately following suprapubic aspiration. Culture results of mid catheter urine specimens were similar to those from suprapubic aspiration urine specimens in 27 of 30 patients, a result considerably superior to that obtained with a conventional side-hole catheter. We conclude that a short, wide bore, open-ended catheter should be used to obtain urine specimens from female patients. Results confirm catheter specimens to be a satisfactory alternative to bladder aspiration of urine for detection of bacteriuria caused by fastidious micro-organisms or in patients with low numbers of conventional urinary tract pathogens.