[Comparison of bacteriologic urine studies following bladder puncture and bladder catheterization]

In 108 female patients with history of urinary tract infections bacteriologic work-up was done in urine taken by catheterisation. 85% of the urine samples were sterile, 15% had bacterial counts less than 10(4) ml. The incidence of contaminated urines was the same when the urine was controlled one and three weeks later again by catheterisation. When urine samples were taken by suprapubic bladder puncture at the time when the catheterisation was done, a significant higher percentage of the punctured urine was contaminated. The results were discussed in terms of the interpretation of bacteriologic data obtained by suprapubic bladder punction.