ABSTRACT
The history of catheterization to empty the bladder dates back to approximately 1000 bc. Records from india attest to the use of tubular objects made from iron, gold, silver, and wood and lubricated with liquid butter to drain the bladder and manage urethral strictures. Chinese records from the 100 bc time period record use of lacquered onion leaves to provide hollow instruments to empty the bladder [1]. In china in ad 30, urinary retention was managed with lead and bronze pipes. These devices were smoother, as compared to other devices, and had a more manageable size that functioned both for men and women's needs. Catheters have also been found in pompeii, preserved in the lava from the eruption of vesuvius [2]. The early devices were rigid and did not provide the user with a continuous drainage system. Urinary catheterization was revolutionized with the advent of rubber technology. In the mid-nineteenth century, auguste nelaton produced catheters that were portable, flexible, and reusable. Eventually, this flexibility allowed for indwelling catheters that could be secured with tape, an external device, or sutures. Hence, the advent of the modern indwelling urinary catheter was realized.
