Foley Balloon Test

Published

In school we were taught to pre-inflate the balloon on the Foley to make sure there weren't any pin holes. In reality, the urologists don't want you to pre-inflate because they say it makes the ribs on the balloon stick out which could cause irritation to the urethra when you do insert the Foley. I've put in hundreds of Foley catheters on my patients and never had any problems until yesterday when one of the general surgeons was watching me and had a huge pissy fit because I didn't pre-inflate the balloon ? I responded that the urologists say otherwise and he wasn't impressed with my answer.

Just wondering how many of you out there either inflate or don't when putting in the Foley. I've never had a balloon not work in my hundreds of times of putting one in and figure that if there is a hole, you'll find out when you pull back on the catheter and it comes back out because it's not inflated. I feel it's pretty much a non-issue but now they are making a big deal out of this where I work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i'm a student nurse in the Uk and i've never heard of pre inflating a foley balloon

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac.

I've put in tons and tons of foleys, and I always pre-inflate to check.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It makes the ribs stick out? How do they know this unless they are doing a tactile test of a foley balloon that has been inflated and another that has not... Personally I'd rather find out that there is an issue with the equipment right from the start rather than do a sterile procedure and pushing a catheter in (not the most comfortable feeling) and having to do it over again because the balloon is faulty.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
It makes the ribs stick out? How do they know

I dunno.. they are the Urologists and it's what they want. Ask one the next time you're working with them. They must have some study somewhere that says not to pre-inflate. Just telling what I've been told. I've inserted hundreds of Foleys and never ever had a bad balloon. It does make sense to not pre-inflate if you think about it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac.

No, actually, it makes sense TO check the balloon before inserting it.

Just because one has never gone bad for you doesn't mean it never will. I've never needed my airbag either but I still have one.

A year or so ago, we had a rash of bad balloons on our Swans. Never had that happen before either, but guess what? The Dr always preinflates them too.

Plus, isn't that what the lube is for? I lube up my foley pretty well. If there is any irritation to the urethra, I would think it's just do to the foreign object being placed in there. I would think it's equally as irritatating to have a foley whether the balloon was tested or not....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

Is it a silicone Foley or latex? Silicone catheters it is not recommended to inflate the balloon because it doesn't retain the original shape. Hence the ribs the other doc was speaking of.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've never needed my airbag either but I still have one.

Make no sense you do. I've never needed the fire extinguisher in my garage but I still have one ? Think outside the box.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in med/surg.

Where I work it is expected that you check the balloon before inserting.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've had a foley with a bad balloon. Lucky for my patient, I'd never met your urologist. (Actually, the balloon itself was fine, but the valve that keeps the balloon from deflating was bad.)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics.

you arn't just checking the balloon to be sure there arn't any leaks.

you are also checking to be certain the balloon will deflate when the foley is d/c'd.

while i've never found a leaky balloon, i have run accross a balloon that would not deflate.

unfortunatly, the foley was in a patient and i was trying to remove it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If the patient is going to wind up with a hamburger looking urethra, the ribs on the foley aren't the issue. I work with a reasonable group of Uro's, and while they agree that there is an issue of ribs on the silicone, it is less essential than the proper sizing and placement of the catheters. And verifying that it can be easily removed is easier than dealing with the tactile differences.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion