Post-cesarean section urinary tract infection: a comparison between intermittent and indwelling catheterization

Catheterization, which is widely accepted as an important factor to urinary tract infection, is routinely done during cesarean section. This randomized study was conducted to compare the incidence of urinary tract infection between patients who underwent cesarean section using intermittent catheterization and indwelling catheterization, at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ramathibodi Hospital from August 1991 to December 1991. Sixteen of 51 patients (31.4%) of the intermittent group and 9 of 47 patients (19.1%) of the indwelling group developed urinary tract infection. The difference was not statistically significant. Of the patients in the intermittent group 39.2 per cent were found to have postoperative urinary retention requiring recatheterization, whereas all cases in the indwelling group could void after its removal. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the commonest isolated organism. Indwelling catheterization was concluded to be the favourable method.