JacobShort2011

Well, it's probably best to look at research first. A very well done study on lidocaine and catheters published in 2005 found that a wait time of 15 minutes was required for success. More recent studies have looked at lidocaine and shorter wait times and found no reduction in pain. So, use lidocaine and leave it in the urethra for at least 15 minutes. The problem is keeping it in--there are clamps that can be used that are not painful, but you can use a sterile gloved finger over the meatus--make sure you have a chair handy. Or have the patient cover the meatus with a sterile gloved finger. Also, do the procedure slowly and remove the catheter slowly. And stop when the patient tells you to or shows signs of pain. Some patients (also verified by research) find the procedure almost unbearably painful.