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[Complications of bladder catheterization to obtain a urine sample in the emergency department]
S Hernangómez Vázquez1, G Oñoro, M de la Torre Espí
1Servicio de Urgencias, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, España.
Insights
Bladder catheterization (BC) is an effective and safe method for obtaining urine samples in young children in the emergency department (ED). This procedure has a low complication rate, making it a reliable diagnostic tool for urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Urology
- Infectious Diseases
Context:
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in young children.
- Bladder catheterization (BC) is frequently used to obtain urine samples for UTI diagnosis.
- The emergency department (ED) is a common setting for BC in non-toilet-trained children.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the performance and complication rates of bladder catheterization (BC) for urine specimen collection in pediatric patients.
- To assess the effectiveness of BC in obtaining a urine sample for diagnosing urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Summary:
- A prospective study in an urban children's hospital evaluated 126 bladder catheterizations (BC) in 124 pediatric patients.
- Urine samples were successfully obtained in all cases, with a 26.98% positive culture rate, primarily for Escherichia coli.
- Complications were reported in only 5 of 116 contacted patients, indicating a low complication rate.
Impact:
- Bladder catheterization (BC) is confirmed as an effective and safe procedure for urine sample collection in non-toilet-trained children within the emergency department (ED).
- The findings support the continued use of BC as a quality-controlled, invasive method for diagnosing UTIs in pediatric populations.
- This study provides valuable data for healthcare providers regarding the safety and efficacy of BC in pediatric urinary tract infection diagnosis.
Introduction:
Bladder catheterization (BC) is frequently performed to diagnose urinary tract infection (UTI) (the most common serious bacterial infection among young children). The purposes of this study were to evaluate performance and complications of BC to obtain a urine specimen.
Material And Methods:
This was a prospective study conducted in an urban children's hospital on patients who had a urine specimen obtained in the emergency department (ED) by BC between November 1, 2009 and December 15, 2009. Epidemiological data and the medical reasons why the BC was performed were reviewed. Finally, to determine the complications we contacted the family by telephone at least one month after the BC.
Results:
A total of 126 BC were performed in 124 patients, 45 males (35.7%) and 81 female (64.3%). A urine sample was obtained in all cases. The median age was 7 months (5 days-35 months). Of the 126 urine cultures collected, 34 were positive (26.98%) and 1 was considered contaminated (0.8%). Escherichia coli was the most common pathogen (27, 79.41%). Fever (76.2%) was the main reason why BC was performed in children. Of the 116 patients contacted by telephone, only 5 mentioned complications: genital pain (3), unconfirmed hematuria (1) and UTI 12 days after (1).
Conclusions:
BC performed in ED to obtain a urine sample in non toilet-trained children is effective and safe. BC is an invasive method which needs to be quality controlled.
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