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Learn MoreA suprapubic catheter is a tube that goes into your child’s bladder through the belly. You might also hear it called an SP catheter. A doctor makes a small hole in the lower belly to put the catheter into the bladder. The hole is called a stoma. An SP catheter carries urine (pee) from the bladder to a drainage bag that collects the urine.
Your child might need an SP catheter if they:
While your child has an SP catheter, make sure they drink plenty of fluids. This helps the urine stay clear and flow easily. Keep track of how much urine your child makes.
A suprapubic catheter is a tube inserted into the bladder through a hole in the belly.
You should care for your child’s stoma every day. This helps prevent infection and skin problems. Follow these steps to clean this area:
Your child will have a drainage bag that collects the urine. The bag can be hung from a bed or wheelchair. Some patients may have a leg bag which can be strapped onto the leg to allow your child to move more easily. Wear gloves if instructed by your care team and always follow your care team’s instructions for emptying and changing the bag.
Empty the bag when it is 2/3 full, or at least every 8 hours even if it is not full. How often you need to empty the bag will depend on the size of the bag and how much urine your child makes.
Change the bag once a week. Change the bag right away if it gets dirty, cut, or torn, or if it starts leaking. Otherwise, germs could get in and cause an infection. If the urine bag falls off the catheter tubing, clean the end of the tube and put on a new bag.
Follow these steps to change the drainage bag:
A flush with saline or water can help keep the tubing from being blocked. Flush the tubing 1 time each day or as instructed by your care team.
You might need to flush the tubing more often if:
Clean your hands with soap and water and dry well, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. You may wear non-sterile gloves after cleaning your hands.
Put 10 mL of saline or sterile water into the syringe. This liquid is called the flush.
If urine does not flow out, repeat the flush. If urine still does not flow, call the hospital.
If it is hard to push the saline or water flush into the catheter, do not force it. This could damage your child’s bladder.
An SP catheter needs to be changed every few weeks. Your care team may teach you how to do this. Find more information on how to change a suprapubic catheter.
Call the hospital if you notice that:
Go to the hospital right away if your child’s catheter comes out or you pull it out by accident. The SP catheter has an internal balloon to hold it in place in the bladder. If the balloon is not deflated, the catheter can harm the bladder when it is pulled out.
Germs can travel through the catheter and cause an infection in the bladder or kidney. This is called a catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). It can be serious and lead to other infections.
People with urinary catheters have a much greater chance of getting a urinary tract infection (UTI) than people who don’t have catheters. The urinary system includes the bladder and the kidneys. Germs do not normally live in these areas. But, if germs get inside the bladder or kidneys, an infection can occur.
Signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection may include:
Some people can have an infection without any of these symptoms. Contact your doctor right away if you think your child may have an infection.
Your child’s bladder will need to be trained to work as it did before your child had a catheter. It takes time to learn to feel the urge to urinate. Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to begin bladder training.
The goal of bladder training is to increase the amount of urine that comes through the urethra and decrease the amount that drains through the catheter. You will only do bladder training while your child is awake.
Your doctor will let you know when your child no longer needs a catheter. This is usually when less than 50–75 mL of urine comes through the catheter each day. This is a little less than 3 ounces. Let your doctor know when your child drains only this amount through the catheter.
The stoma should close within 48 hours (about 2 days) after the doctor removes the catheter. If urine leaks out before it closes, you may put gauze over the hole. Replace the gauze when it gets wet or dirty.
Your child should not take a bath or go swimming for 48 hours (about 2 days) after the catheter is removed. A shower is OK.
If you have questions about your child’s SP catheter, please talk to your care team.
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Reviewed: October 2022