The Feasibility of Clean Intermittent Self-Catheterization Teaching in an Outpatient Setting

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of teaching clean intermittent self-catheterization (CISC) in an outpatient setting to women planning surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and/or urinary incontinence (UI).

This was a prospective observational study of 55 women who planned surgical correction of POP and/or UI. All women were taught CISC as part of their preoperative education. The ability to learn CISC and the amount of time needed to teach CISC were recorded. Multivariate modeling, χ2 test, Fisher exact test, and Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis.

Of the 55 subjects consecutively enrolled, 51 subjects (93%) were able to learn CISC and demonstrate competency (P < 0.00001). Four subjects (7%) were unable to learn CISC. The median time to teach CISC with demonstrated proficiency was 3.7 minutes (range, 1.8-7.4 minutes). Of the subjects who learned CISC and had surgery, the mean (SD) time in days from preoperative teaching to the postoperative voiding trial was 16 (11) days (range, 2-39 days). Of the 41 subjects who completed the postoperative voiding trial and had data recorded, 33 (80%) were able to self-catheterize without nurse assistance or with minimal verbal coaching, whereas 8 (20%) subjects required hands-on nursing assistance or were unable to perform CISC (P < 0.001).

Clean intermittent self-catheterization can be taught to most patients undergoing POP/UI surgery in a short time (median, 3.7 minutes). The overwhelming majority of patients are able to retain the CISC skill weeks after being taught in the clinic.