The electrified catheter. Role in sterilizing urine and decreasing bacteriuria.

A catheter was designed to decrease the incidence of catheter-induced urinary infections. A randomized, controlled study was performed to assess its safety and efficacy. The study comprised 24 patients subjected to hemorrhoidectomy. The criteria for entry were a preoperative urinary pathogen count below 10(5) colony-forming units/ml urine as well as postoperative urinary retention that did not respond to conservative measures. The 24 patients were randomly assigned to treatment using a Nelaton catheter in 12 patients and an electrified catheter in the remaining 12. The catheters were left in place for 3 days, during which cephalosporin was given parenterally. The electrified catheter (EC) carried two silver-silver chloride electrodes. During the 3 days of catheterization and for 4 days thereafter, daily urine samples were cultured. The criterion for catheter-induced urinary infection was a pathogen count above 10(5) colony-forming units/ml urine. No complication was encountered from catheterization. Electrodes were not broken. A bacterial count above 10(5) colony-forming units was found in 7 of 12 patients in the Nelaton catheter group, and a count below 10(5) units was determined in the 12 patients in the EC group. The study demonstrated that the EC can decrease the incidence of catheter-induced urinary infections. The EC is safe, cost-effective, and without complications.