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Urinary catheters are thin flexible tubes used to drain urine from the body. Catheters have been around for a long time, according to URO Today Urology News: "Catheters were used as early as 3,000 B.C. to relieve painful urinary retention. In those times, many materials were used to form a hollow catheter shape, including straw, rolled up palm leaves, hollow tops of onions, as well as, gold, silver, copper, brass, and lead. Malleable catheters were developed in the 11th century. In time, silver was used as the basis of catheters as it could be bent to any desired shape and was felt to have an antiseptic function." I am relieved that no one has to cath using roll up palm leaves anymore! Over time catheters have become more comfortable and they are made of silicone or latex red rubber.

What are T.E.D. Anti-Embolism Stockings? T.E.D. stockings are an abbreviation for "thromboembolism-deterrent". They are stockings designed and worn to support the venous and lymphatic drainage of the leg, which means when you are recovering in bed these stockings will help stop blood clots from forming. If you are non-ambulatory then the gradient compression is combined with the actual muscle pump effect of your calf, these two things work together to help circulate blood and lymph fluid through your legs. T.E.D. stockings are available in knee and thigh length. As far as which you should wear, you will want to speak to your doctor about which is better for your hospital stay as well as your recovery. Blood clots can form for up to six weeks following surgery or an extended hospital stay so you will want to continue using T.E.D stockings after you leave the hospital. T.E.D. stockings are like all compression stockings and socks, in order for them to work they require accurate sizing. It is a good idea to learn how to take accurate measurements from a compression stockings and socks buyer's guide.

Condom catheters are a urinary catheter that is worn on the penis for the treatment of incontinence. Men who can no longer retain urine can use external catheters without having to wear adult incontinence briefs. External condom catheters are worn and when they are connected to a leg bag via extension tubing they funnel and collect urine away from the body. Most commonly external condom catheters are made of either silicone or latex and they are self-adhering, which means there is adhesive on the inside of the catheter that allows it to stay on the outside of the penis. External catheters are not a one-size-fits-all item. You will need to take measurements. In order to use condom catheters, you will need to gather some medical supplies, such as tubing and a leg bag. Just like using any medical device, using external male condom catheters has a learning curve. Be patient with yourself and don't be afraid to contact your medical team or an online medical supply for information on how to best use condom catheters.

A female length intermittent catheter can not be used by men because the shaft of the catheter is too short to reach the male bladder. Female catheters are much shorter because the female anatomy doesn't require a long catheter to reach the bladder. The short length of the catheter means it is much easier to design small, discreet catheters that fit easily inside pockets or purses. Bard, formally Rochester, Magic3 GO is a new hydrophilic catheter designed for women that is easy to use and carry with you on the go. Prior to Bard and Rochester Catheters becoming one company, the Magic3 catheters were all produced by Rochester. The company name may have changed but Magic3 is still being produced to the same exacting standards you have come to expect from Rochester Magic3 catheters.

What is a Hip Kit? A hip kit is a collection of products designed to help improve independence and issues of reach after experiencing hip replacement surgery. To prevent injury to the hip prosthesis and surrounding tissues after surgery it is necessary to take certain

Eating with an ostomy can be a challenge but it doesn't have to ruin your time with family and friends at Thanksgiving. The most important thing to remember is, food has an influence on your ostomy output. Being prepared and having some extra knowledge can help make a family dinner a success. If you have never looked into how food and your ostomy interact, you can check out this great Ostomy Nutrition Guide. Family Dinner with an Ostomy Survival Kit:

Rochester to Bard Medical: Bard Medical is known for innovative Foley catheter products like their Statlock Stabilization Devices and now they have teamed up with Rochester. Bard Medical and Rochester are now one and the same. Over the last few months you may have noticed some products that used to say Rochester now are labeled as Bard. The good news is, only the name has changed. Bard has stated that they will still be making the Rochester catheters and products just like they were made before. So if you are looking for a Rochester product and you can't locate it, try searching for it with the name Bard Medical instead.

What is a Catheter? A catheter is a flexible tube that is inserted through a narrow opening into a body cavity, particularly the bladder, for removing fluid. That is the definition of the word catheter but there are many differences between them. Catheters are generally made from silicone, latex, or a combination of both. One type of catheter is called a Foley catheter. Once it is inserted into the bladder, a small balloon at the tip is inflated so the catheter can be held in place inside the bladder. Another type of catheter is referred to as an "intermittent catheter". Similar to the Foley, it is inserted into the urethra and then it is pushed into the bladder. Unlike the Foley, once the bladder is drained, it is removed immediately and discarded. People who use intermittent catheters use several a day while people who use Foley catheters use the same one for a set period of time.

Coloplast Ostomy is known for making cutting edge ostomy pouch systems and ostomy care accessories. Coloplast has been around for a long time and they have designed some incredible ostomy pouches that help many people live their best life after having an ostomy surgery. What people don't realize is how versatile the Coloplast Brava line of medical products can be for people who don't have an ostomy. If you are currently using Coloplast catheters than you know that this company makes a wide variety of medical supplies.

If you are caring for someone who is bed-bound keeping them clean and comfortable can be a daunting task. I have talked about bedside bathing and using peri-wash and no rinse soaps before.There are a lot of benefits but it is important to remember that you can't use the no-rinse method of bedside bathing all the time. No matter how great they are, you or your patient will need to be cleaned fully with water on a regular basis. The best part about bathing wipes is how easy they are to use. The Medline bathing wipes will leave skin feeling clean and soft.