Is it better to avoid urethral catheterization at hysterectomy and caesarean section?

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Gynecology
• Infectious Disease

Background:

• Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are a common complication in healthcare settings.
• Perioperative catheterization is frequently employed in gynecological surgeries like Caesarean sections and hysterectomies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between perioperative urethral catheterization and the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in patients undergoing Caesarean section or hysterectomy.
• To determine the clinical significance of avoiding catheterization in this patient population.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 329 patients who underwent either Caesarean section or hysterectomy.
• Patients were divided into two groups: 70 never catheterized and 251 with perioperative urethral catheterization.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant reduction in UTIs was observed in the group without catheterization compared to the catheterized group (p<0.05).
• Twenty-one urinary tract infections were identified in the catheterized group, while none were reported in the uncatheterized group.

Conclusions:

• The absence of UTIs in the uncatheterized group demonstrates a clear benefit of avoiding urethral catheterization when clinically feasible.
• Minimizing or eliminating perioperative catheter use can be an effective strategy for UTI prevention in gynecological surgery patients.