Do you pre-inflate the balloon on a foley cath?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LTC Management, Community Nursing, HHC.

I work in LTC and some nurses still pre-inflate the balloons on foley caths, while others don't. And now I'm confused and unsure which method to follow. Didn't nursing research find that pre-inflating foley cath balloons caused more damage than good? Which method do most nurses use? I was in RN school just a couple years ago and we were still pre-inflating back then, but since graduating I've come across conflicting info and am unsure which to follow.

Thank you.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Research showed pre inflating the balloon was no longer necessary. I still see people do so.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

What does your facility's procedure say about inflating Foley balloons? Does it say to inflate them? If you have evidence that it's a poor practice, perhaps you can get your procedure updated. You'll need to find research to back you up before you attempt to change the procedure however.

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Having had some fail when tested with preinflating, I intend to go on doing so.

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Specializes in Trauma | Surgical ICU.

New practice states not to inflate the balloon. It depends on your facility's protocol.

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I was taught to pre-inflate back when i learned. I am aware that this is no longer standard practice. I see nurses do it both ways. I very much doubt it makes any significant difference either way and have not seen any convincing data indicating substantialy better or worse outcomes from one practice vs another. If said data, exists, id be happy to see it. Till then... meh. Follow facility policy i guess.

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Hospital inservice recently where I work emphasized NOT inflating the balloon prior. Rationale was 1) each is checked by manufacturer prior 2) it increases risk for urethral trauma on insertion and 3) this trauma can increase risk for infection.

Over the years, I've seen a huge reduction in the use of catheters all together.

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Specializes in Oncology.

No, our kits specifically say not to.

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Specializes in ICU.

No longer best practices to do it.

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Years ago there was a new nurse in our facility who inflated the balloon while still in the urethra in a mentally handicapped patient. of course he couldn't verbalize the pain, so thankfully someone said do an x-ray and that's when it was discovered. I imagine it's easier to do this if you have pre-inflated the balloon.

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Per manufacturer instruction and our facility policy: No

Per personal preference of some RNs: Yes, at times

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.
Years ago there was a new nurse in our facility who inflated the balloon while still in the urethra in a mentally handicapped patient. of course he couldn't verbalize the pain, so thankfully someone said do an x-ray and that's when it was discovered. I imagine it's easier to do this if you have pre-inflated the balloon.

Could you explain your reasoning of why that might be easier to do if you pre-inflate?

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