Editing Urinary catheterization (section)

==Complications==

Catheterization can have short and long term complications. Generally long-term catheterization carries higher risk of complications. Long-term catheterization carries a significant risk of [[urinary tract infection]]. {{citation needed|date=December 2017}} Because of this risk catheterization is a last resort for the management of incontinence where other measures have proved unsuccessful. {{citation needed|date=December 2017}} Other long term complications may include blood infections ([[sepsis]]), [[urethral injury]], skin breakdown, [[bladder stones]], and blood in the urine ([[hematuria]]). {{citation needed|date=December 2017}} After many years of catheter use, [[bladder cancer]] may also develop. {{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

Some people experience [[bladder spasm]]s with catheterization, which may be more common in males. If bladder spasms occur, or there is no urine in the drainage bag, the catheter may be blocked by blood, thick sediment, or a kink in the catheter or drainage tubing. Sometimes spasms are caused by the catheter irritating the bladder, [[prostate]]/[[Skene's glands]], or [[Human penis|penis]]/[[vulva]]. Such spasms can be controlled with medication such as [[butylscopolamine]], although most patients eventually adjust to the irritation and the spasms go away.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003981.htm|title=Urinary catheters|date=2010-03-09|publisher=MedlinePlus, the National Institutes of Health's Web site|access-date=2010-12-01}}</ref>