Using appropriateness criteria to identify opportunities to improve perioperative urinary catheter use

The Michigan Appropriate Perioperative (MAP) criteria provide guidance regarding urinary catheter use. For Category A (e.g., laparoscopic cholecystectomy), B (e.g., hemicolectomy), and C (e.g., abdominoperineal resection) procedures, recommendations are to avoid catheter, remove POD 0 or 1, and remove POD 1-4, respectively. We applied MAP criteria to statewide registry data to identify improvement targets.

Retrospective cohort study of risk-adjusted catheter use and duration for appendectomy, cholecystectomy, and colorectal resections in 2014-2015 from 64 Michigan hospitals.

5.5% of 13,032 Category A cases used urinary catheters, including 26.9% of open appendectomies. 94.5% of 1,624 Category B cases used catheters (31.2% remained after POD 1). 98.3% of 700 Category C cases used catheters (4.6% remained POD5+). Variation in duration of use persisted after risk adjustment.

Perioperative urinary catheter use was appropriate for most simple abdominal procedures, but duration of use varied in all categories.