Completely confused about filling Foley balloon

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Pulmonary med/surg/telemetry.

I'm in my first semester of nursing school and we've been going over Foley catheters. My problem is about filling the balloon. We're using Kendall KenGuard Foley catheter kits and the tubing says "5 cc silicone coated, 10 ml inflation." The kit comes with a pre-filled syringe of 10 ml. The first instructor who taught us the technique showed us to fill the balloon with the entire 10 ml of fluid. When I asked what the "5 cc silicone coated" meant she basically blew me off and said just to instill 10 ml. Well, last night we were going over it again with a different instructor and she told us to use 5 cc and that they give us a little extra in the syringe just in case. When I asked her why the tubing also said "10 ml inflation" she couldn't answer and just said that you always use 5 cc and that it's standard.

I'm completely confused. Can someone clear this up for me?

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I always use 10cc of fluid to inflate the balloon.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

You should always go by manufacturer recommendations. If the kit says it has a 10cc balloon, that is how much you saline you inflate with. I would disagree with your second instructor, it isn't "common practice" to have a little left over. I would have to investigate further as to what the "5 cc" is referring to. Hope this helps.

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http://www.bardmedical.com/resources/product/techTips/Inf_Def%20Guidelines9908-26.pdf

The balloons are 5cc in size but must be filled with 9-10cc of sterile water to function properly...imagine blowing up a normal ballon only to its "non-stretching" point...not a very good balloon is it?

Incidently...I just found out that 1 "french" is equivilent to 1/3mm so a 9Fr catheter is 3mm in diameter...interesting no?

Please pass this guideline pdf to your instructor...she is wrong and needs to be corrected or an entire class of nursing students risk catheters falling out of urethras.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
to 1/3mm so a 9Fr catheter is 3mm in diameter...interesting no?

Please pass this guideline pdf to your instructor...she is wrong and needs to be corrected or an entire class of nursing students risk catheters falling out of urethras.

Good luck with that. Seeing as how she blew off the OP, I don't think the instructor will be open to correction.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

I agree TOTALLY with Airforce RN.

I too use 10 mL to inflate the balloon.

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Specializes in Pulmonary med/surg/telemetry.

Thank you so much. That link makes it all make sense. I've printed it out to take to class and hopefully she'll be open to reading it.

http://www.bardmedical.com/resources/product/techTips/Inf_Def%20Guidelines9908-26.pdf

The balloons are 5cc in size but must be filled with 9-10cc of sterile water to function properly...imagine blowing up a normal ballon only to its "non-stretching" point...not a very good balloon is it?

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I wouldn't do that if I were you. She might be the type of instructor that will make your life a living hell if you correct her.

I had an instructor that also said not to inflate the balloons totally. I did it that way for years but now I just go by what it says on the balloon port, which is 10cc.

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Now you've got me thinking. I've always gone by the size of the balloon, following the manufacturer's directions that I read one time. Can't remember anyone saying otherwise.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I am also in my first semester of nursing school and what we have learned is that the balloon is filled with 5ml and the rest of the tubing that stretches from the balloon to the injection site is another 5ml. therefor you use the 10ml. hope that helps too. Good luck!:redbeathe

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I wouldn't do that if I were you. She might be the type of instructor that will make your life a living hell if you correct her.

I had an instructor that also said not to inflate the balloons totally. I did it that way for years but now I just go by what it says on the balloon port, which is 10cc.

Or she might be the kind of instructor that appreciates doing things properly? Either way, you can't go through life scared of doing the right thing. We should be encouraging nursing students to stand up for what is right both in school and in the workplace. Sure, an improperly inflated balloon might not be the end of the world, but your comment only encourages behaviour that has held nurses back for decades.

Stand up for yourself. My two cents.

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Specializes in CVICU-ICU.
I am also in my first semester of nursing school and what we have learned is that the balloon is filled with 5ml and the rest of the tubing that stretches from the balloon to the injection site is another 5ml. therefor you use the 10ml. hope that helps too. Good luck!:redbeathe

Mags,

Glad you were paying attention in classs :) That is the exact reason.

Good luck with your schooling.

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