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A surprisingly high number of patients reuses catheters intended for single use every day putting them at risk for unnecessary complications. Single use hydrophilic catheters for intermittent catheterisation lower the risk for short and long-term complications and are a convenient and preferred choice for many patients.

Patient adherence plays a key role in a successful and cost-effective catheterisation treatment. A patient who feels part of the decision-making, in control of their options and how they work with their lifestyle is more inclined to stick with their therapy and subsequently experience a good clinical outcome.

With more than 30 years on the market, LoFric has been used and documented in several ways. In addition to efficiently emptying the bladder, LoFric’s versatile use includes treatment and prevention of recurrent strictures, administration of chemotherapy by bladder instillation, and resolution of rare complications.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a leading diagnosis among males. Approximately 100,000 men are treated with transurethral prostate (TURP) surgery each year, making it one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States and several other countries.

Available clinical evidence supports the strategy to always consider intermittent catheterisation as the first therapeutic choice, before considering the use of an indwelling catheter. Intermittent catheterisation is the first therapeutic choice and is a safer bladder management method than both urethral and suprapubic indwelling catheters. Intermittent catheterisation can lead to reduced morbidity relating to renal failure and neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

According to WHO the problem of antimicrobial resistance is so serious that it threatens our modern healthcare system. By 2050 it may cause 10 million deaths or more if we lose our ability to use effective antibiotics.

Single-use hydrophilic catheters were developed in the early eighties to address long-term complications of intermittent catheterisation seen when reusing plastic catheters with add-on lubrication. As reported by Wyndaele and Maes and Perrouin-Verbe et al.

At Wellspect HealthCare we take our environmental responsibility seriously. We continuously work to minimise the environmental impact related to our products. We ensure that proper materials are used and all applicable production requirements are followed.

A lubricated catheter is recommended to reduce damage to the urethra and lower the risk of hematuria which is a common complication. A cross-over study comparing different hydrophilic catheters showed an even lower frequency of hematuria in patients who chose LoFric.

Urine often has a high concentration of particles and low content of water. This is referred to as high osmolality. Urine osmolality has a direct effect on catheter lubrication and plays an important role for people who use hydrophilic catheters. A catheter with a surface osmolality in balance with urine is key to reducing withdrawal friction.

Bladder management with intermittent catheterisation is associated with complications. The most severe and common one is UTI. Single-use, hydrophilic-coated catheters lower the risk of UTIs and have been reported as both convenient and the preferred choice for people who rely on intermittent catheterisation as their bladder management.

For those who cannot empty their bladder the normal way, intermittent catheterisation is the therapy of choice to maintain urethral health. Complications are common but when hydrophilic single-use catheters entered the market, the risks of UTI dropped significantly. Low friction seemed to be key to maintain urethral health. Today, there is only one hydrophilic catheter that is scientifically proven to reduce complications also after long-term use.

Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are common in the hospital setting with consequential morbidity and mortality. The risk of bacterial adhesion and invasion of the urinary tract increases with use of an indwelling catheterisation and may be reduced by adopting intermittent catheterisation using hydrophilic single-use catheters.

Bladder instillation is used for local administration of drugs into the bladder. Examples being treatment of interstitial cystitis and cancer. Drugs are delivered via a catheter, and a hydrophilic-coated surface such as that of the LoFric catheters, reduces the risk for trauma associated with instillation therapy.

A urethral stricture is an abnormal narrowing of the urethra and is often caused by trauma or inflammation. As catheterisation is one cause of strictures, non-traumatic catheterisation technique and catheter material are essential parts in preventing the occurrence of these complications.

Extensive studies support scientific literature claiming that use of hydrophilic catheters reduce urethral trauma and urinary tract infections. This in turn can minimise the need for antibiotics. Because of these benefits, we now know that hydrophilic catheters are one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent long term urological complications in general and UTI in particular.

A patient-centric tool to facilitate goal attainment scaling in neurogenic bladder and bowel dysfunction: path to individualization.  People with nervous system disorders often experience neurogenic bladder and/or bowel dysfunction. The associated symptoms can be physically, socially, and psychologically challenging in ways that are highly individualized. This heterogeneity makes it difficult to quantify change in an individual’s symptoms using standardized outcome measures. Personalized assessment tools are designed to capture the heterogeneity of an individual’s experience with various treatments and devices in different disease states.