THE EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE URINARY CATHETER

The urinary catheter is one of the most frequently used medical device s and has a long and intriguing history of development. This paper des cribes the catheter from its simple beginnings through the subtle but important changes it has undergone paralleling the advances in plastic s technology witnessed this century. The changes have not been without controversy and the recent association of catheters with tissue toxic ity, which has forced the implementation of strict guidelines for thei r manufacture and use, is described.