balloon testing prior to insertion of foley

You always test to make sure that it works; same way that you test the balloon for the cuff on an endotracheal tube, and the balloons on fogarty catheters, etc. I would not want to be the one putting it in, and finding out that there was a leak later, and it needed to be replaced.

We test the balloons on everything in the OR before it gets inserted into a patient, doesn't matter where it gets inserted. Body cavity or vessel.

The baloon won't "anchor"? What? There are a few times I have had a faulty foley....yep. Manufacturer defect!

Have you done a Google search?

Suebird

I was taught in nursing school to test inflate it first, but my hospital has changed the policy to not test it - because of it losing elasticity. Also, when taking the foley out, we've been taught to not aspirate (pull back on the syringe plunger) to draw the fluid out and defate the balloon. You're supposed to just attach the syringe and the fluid will fill up on its own. (I guess you can collapse the catheter, making it impossible for the balloon to deflate.) I'm sure literature exists - I would ask the manufacturer to back up their claim with evidenced-based research. They should be familiar enough with the medical community to know that evidenced-based research is the gold standard for changing policies/practices. Make the company's sales rep do the work for you. They get the big bucks - that's their job!

the company says they test balloons and do submersion tests on the urinary catheters at the end of manufacturing. they say testing prior to insertion is not needed. i think i will try to get the research from them...they must have something. also from the articles that i have read testing prior to insertion adds extra ridges to the catheter which can irritate tissue on insertion making for patient discomfort.

When we started using silicone caths and stopped using latex, we were told they didn't have to be tested. Of course we never really got an explanation why.

You could also specifically try Google Scholar:
http://scholar.google.com/

Thanks for bringing up the topic... I just graduated and I was taught to test it...

I recently tested a foley cath that, sure enough, had a leak. If I hadn't tested....