Catheter holder for securing a urethral catheter to a patient

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A catheter holder for securing a urethral catheter to a patient includes an anchoring strip with a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on one side for securing the strip to a patient's skin.
A cord is secured to the anchoring strip and looped around a peripheral groove in a connector between the catheter and a drain tube, and tied to secure it in said groove to prevent longitudinal movement of the connector and catheter.
Advantageously, the anchoring strip has a pair of openings through which the cord passes and the cord is tied to secure it to the anchoring strip; and the strip has a reinforcing panel adjacent the openings.
This holder is constructed of an adhesive-backed fabric, a centrally placed reinforcement strip, and a piece of umbilical tape about 16 inches long.
There are two holes in the device in the area of the reinforcement strip.
The umbilical tape is passed through one hole from the top side and back up through the second hole.
The tape is then tied snugly between the two holes on the top side in such a manner that the tails are of equal length.
The reinforcement strip prevents the umbilical tape from cutting through the device between the two holes.
The holder generally seems to be most satisfactory when it is placed on the antero-medial aspect of the thigh about midway between the perineum and the knee, with its long axis running parallel to the shaft of the femur.
The exact location can best be ascertained when the catheter has been connected to the urinary drainage bag and it has been determined that there will be no pull on the catheter.
After preliminary cleansing of the skin at the holder site with an alcohol sponge (it is probably best to shave any hair at the site), the protective backing is stripped away from the adhesive side and the holder is placed on the thigh as described above.
The umbilical tape is then tied in a bow-knot around the hard urinary drainage bag connector in such a manner that the holder and the connector are approximated.
No other retaining or supporting devices such as safety pins are needed and the patient can move freely in bed or be ambulatory without discomfort