Clean intermittent catheterization in Saudi children - Suggestion for a common protocol

In the last thirty years, clean intermittent catheterization of urinary bla dder has proven to be one of the most important advances in Urology. Clean intermittent catheterizationis already utilized in the Kingdom of Saudi Ara bia, but the materials and the methods in use are not always the most appro priate. The acceptance of the long-term treatment with clean intermittent c atheterization among Saudi families does not seem to be adequate. Moreover, the knowledge and the agreement about clean intermittent catheterization b y Saudi Medical Community, and even among Urologists, does not seem to be s atisfactory everywhere, We analyzed many different catheters and their cost . We prepared a list of suggestions about clean intermittent catheterizatio n materials and methods. Following this protocol, the majority of the paren ts of our patients, properly informed and trained, do now understand very w ell the aims and the advantages of the method, Consequently we realized the problems are not necessarily coming from the patients and their families, but eventually from the inadequacy of our educational and supportive system . In this review, we present our common protocol for clean intermittent cat heterization in children, hoping to avoid some mistakes and improve the qua lity of life of these patients. As cultural background, on the base of our own experience, we reanalyze the principles, indications, results, contrain dications, and complications of clean intermittent catheterization in child ren.