The surgical risk of suprapubic catheter insertion and long-term sequelae

Suprapubic catheter (SPC) insertion is a common urological procedure, which is often referred to as safe and simple even in inexperienced hands. There is, however, very little published evidence on the safety of this procedure. Our study aimed to provide evidence on the associated morbidity and mortality and provide guidance for practising clinicians.

A total of 219 patients who underwent SPC insertion under cystoscopic guidance at two urology institutions between 1994 and 2002 were identified and their case notes reviewed.

The intra-operative complication rate was 10% and the 30-day complications rate was 19%. Mortality rate was 1.8%. Long-term complications included recurrent UTIs (21%), catheter blockage (25%) resulting in multiple accident and emergency attendance (43%). Despite this, the satisfaction rate was high (72%) and most patients (89%) prefer the SPC over the urethral catheter.

SPC bladder drainage results in a high patient satisfaction rate. Patients and clinicians should be aware of the potential complications associated with SPC insertion.