Tensile set behavior of Foley catheter balloons

The removal of indwelling urinary balloon catheters from patients is usually associated with many problems. The problems such as balloon deflation failure; encrustations on balloons, eyes, and lumen; and catheter associated infections are widely discussed in the literature. The tensile set exhibited by the catheter balloon material could also play a role and further complicate the removal process. This article addresses this issue by comparing the tensile set behavior of the balloon material from three commercially available Foley catheters. The balloon materials were subjected to aging in synthetic urine at 37 degrees C for 28 days to simulate clinical conditions. The deflation time of catheter balloons aged in similar conditions were also measured. It was found that different brands of catheters exhibited statistically significant differences in their properties. The tensile set data of the aged samples could be correlated with the deflation time of the balloons. The clinical significance of the tensile set is also highlighted.