Foley Catheters

Foley Catheter Sizes

Foley catheters come in different sizes. The sizes of Foley catheters indicate the outer diameter of the flexible tube. The standard French sizing system for Foley catheters ranges from the smallest size – 5 Fr – to the largest – 24 Fr. You can easily convert a millimeter measurement to French sizing by multiplying the diameter in millimeters by 3. For example, an 8 mm-diameter Foley catheter is a French size 24.

The most common sizes of Foley catheters for adults of both genders are 14 and 16 Fr. The rule of thumb is to use the smallest size that will effectively drain the bladder. Once the catheter is in place, the surrounding tissue tends to close around it, so the smaller the catheter, the smaller the opening it will leave once a nurse or technician removes it.

In addition to sizes of Foley catheters, a color coding system for the port or funnel helps with quicker identification and selection of the correct size. The following examples show the color, the French size and the corresponding diameter in millimeters for some Foley catheters

• Black, 10 Fr, 3.3 mm
• White, 12 Fr, 4.0 mm
• Green, 14 Fr, 4.7 mm
• Orange, 16 Fr, 5.3 mm
• Red, 18 Fr, 6.0 mm
• Yellow, 20 Fr, 6.7 mm
• Purple, 22 Fr, 7.3 mm

The smallest Foley catheter sizes are for infant and pediatric use. The largest sizes are typically for draining blood clots from the urinary tract.

Types of Foley Catheters

Over the years of use, medical researchers have developed some innovative Foley catheter types that are more versatile, less likely to cause irritation, and easier to use. The result is a spectrum of Foley catheter types, including silicone Foley catheters and antimicrobial Foley catheters, that offer new features but use the same basic design Frederic Foley invented nearly a century ago.

• Coude catheter – a Foley catheter with a curved tip for easier insertion past an enlarged prostate gland
• Council tip catheter – a Foley catheter with a small hole at the tip for a guide wire
• Three-way catheter – a special Foley catheter divided into three lumens instead of the standard two, with the third providing a channel for sterile irrigation
• Silicone Foley catheters – catheters for longer term use, cause less irritation and fewer injuries than latex
• Antimicrobial Foley catheters – Foley catheters with an antimicrobial coating that prevents urinary tract infections resulting from catheter use

Other Foley Catheter Products

A Foley catheter kit is a package that provide the basic supplies you need to safely and successfully catheterize a patient. The most basic kits typically contain a Foley catheter, a syringe of sterile saline solution, sterile gloves and lubricating jelly.

Foley catheter trays are typically more complete than Foley catheter kits, although sometimes the two products are interchangeable. The tray provide you with the same items that come in a kit, but it also includes a drainage bag.

Foley Catheter History

Frederic Foley invented the Foley catheter in 1928, and this medical instrument is still the most common urinary catheter in use today. For patients who are having trouble urinating after surgery, are comatose or have loss of bladder control, Foley catheters provide drainage and relief.

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