Foley Balloon Test

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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.

I was taught that you test the foley balloon prior to insertion to make sure it DEFLATES...that's the important part.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Most of the Urologist I work with say not to inflate the balloon because of the ribs irritating the urethra. I can understand and appreciate that opinion. The thing is that you are not only testing the balloon to ensure that it does not have a leak...... you are also testing it to ensure that it deflates. If the balloon has a leak it will just fall out, true, but if for some reason it does not deflate, you have to get a Urologist to come in and deflate it by use of a scope and urethratome. Back in the day, some nurses would just take some mayo scissors and cut the hub to let the foley down and they found that sometimes this actualy would not work and instead keep the foley from deflating. I have seen this happen... no doubt.

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Our hospital has recently revamped its catheter policies. We are not to preinflate the balloon per mfg policy. Also, we now pre-clense the genitals with either an antibacterial soap and water or the pre moistened bath wipes. Then we proceed with normal insertion using betadine and sterile insertion of the cath. Then we have to label cath bag with time, date and initials of person inserting.

By the way why do you suppose the foley says 5cc and the kit directs you to put 10cc in the balloon??

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Specializes in Operating Room (and a bit of med/surg).
By the way why do you suppose the foley says 5cc and the kit directs you to put 10cc in the balloon??

I think that's because it needs at least 5ml in the balloon. :)

I always pre-inflate my balloons too. I've found several faulty valves. I'd never heard of the "irritating ribs" issue though.

I do notice that the residents don't pre-inflate the balloons. Of course, they don't always know the proper way to cath a patient either, so maybe it's just that no one taught them to.

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Specializes in Home Health, Med/Surg.

I always do. And once I did have one that was faulty. Better than risking infection for the patient by inserting twice...my :twocents: anyway :redbeathe

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Specializes in Operating Room (and a bit of med/surg).

I put a foley in today, and paid special attention looking for ridges after testing the balloon. If there were any, they weren't visible.

I think ridges are a myth! ;) haha

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I'm a nursing professor, and we have just this semester stop teaching to inflate the balloon prior to insertion. (1) It is rare that I balloon doesn't work; (2) it's not life-threatening like a hemodynamic catheter, and (3) you cannot deflate the balloon to it's original size after you inflate it therefore making it more painful for the patient.

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May I make a suggestion? Check your hospital policy. Ours says not to inflate. If your hospital policy says not to inflate I suggest you do so. You will not get into hot water going by hospital policy. If the Doctor gets upset, ask him to change the hospital policy. I have put in hundreds by test inflation and dozens without test. I have seen no problems either way. So, go by your hospital policy.

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After inflation there are micro-ridges where micro-organisms can live, thrive and ride into the bladder.

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Specializes in ER.

We had a whole batch of catheters about 18 months ago that were bad. I always have tested the balloon (which is the institutional policy), and we quickly found out who did and who didn't!

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We do have one OCD surgeon that for some reason won't let you test the balloon..I have yet to get his reasoning. In twenty years, I have only seen one foley balloon/valve fail....which is easily remedied..you reinflate the balloon with a few cc's of mineral oil...and it will give and release the air. But, I still in habit would check the balloon, I would like to know more about the silicone catheters though...thanks! :yeah:

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document.png Re: Foley Balloon Test

I put a foley in today, and paid special attention looking for ridges after testing the balloon. If there were any, they weren't visible.

I think ridges are a myth! ;) haha

MICRO-Ridges as in Microscopic...of course they weren't visible.

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