Debris in Foley Catheter/keeps blocking.

[jason_19031]

Dad has had a Foley catheter for just over 7 years because of prostate enlarged.
The last 2 years we have been getting an ongoing issue with a very lot of Debris through a few weeks even just over a week sticking to the inside wall and clogging it up, flushing is a waste of time as pushing Debris onto Debris until it stops before it even gets to the holes in the bladder, he is always in bed for last 8 weeks and got Dementia as from 2 months ago which started to notice more 4 weeks ago, so he is in bed, i will list what's been done but if anyone has advice on this to try i will try.
2 years ago form size 14 to 16
tried Cranberry juice for a nice few weeks
2 years and before in total 3 ultra scans nothing seen.
as from 2 weeks ago the continent urology nurse came in and tested PH level and it high 8.5 which can cause this, so we are now trying Lemon barley and some tins in the week of cream of Tomato soup being a lot of acid to lower it as been advised by the nurse.
The 2 things i want to try to do is either cut the Debris down a lot or something to break it up so it don't line the inside of the tube,i sure there are a lot out there who have had or are having the same problem.
Is it also right to get the PH level down is acid like what said above or would this take the lining off the bladder and be going the other way.
Thanks

[Ayjay]

Is it also right to get the PH level down is acid like what said above or would this take the lining off the bladder and be going the other way.
Thanks

Anything with a low PH which is fit for human consumption shouldn't cause a problem with someone's bladder.

Has your Dad been checked for a urine infection? Bacterial infections can make the urine more alkaline and lead to crystals forming. They can also very quickly give rise to symptoms very similar to dementia.

Can the catheter not be changed more often? Has he tried a Conveen Catheter ?

[jason_19031]

Thanks for the reply.
Yes dad has been checked a good 4 times in the last 2month for UTI and being they will always show up positive on a dip stick test (which doctors and nurses can't use now with a catheter as will all show yes) so has to be sent to path lab which has been done and number reading they say is ok ''no action needed'' but some doctors still use the paper strip which is bad.

Dad has only had UTI twice what i know of and once was November which the doctor didn't say direct it was just when i rang for results they said ''right medication issued'' which was antibiotic for 5 days.

It is not a problem with dad having it changed every week as he doesn't get a bit of discomfort at all and no resistant from the prostate over the 7 years so that's not a problem.
I just wanted to see if it's going the right way doing this Lemon Barley and Tomato soup to try to get more acid to bring PH down.
Its just white flakes like skin particles that through time sticks to the side,i have learnt so much on catheters in last 7 years.
Thanks

[jason_19031]

An update on this Topic.
We are now when arrives an open end Foley catheter, same as the other one with side holes just the tip is open so better flow so it might move the white flakes just that bit better.
Because we have the carers come twice a day i said about the catheter problem and they said they deal with a lot with catheters and a few with the same problem with it blocking,they told them not to have high acidic stuff like Lemon Barley as it takes the lining off the bladder which causes more bits which i have to say it only lasted a week being on the Lemon barley anyway and to be honest when it was changed the nurse said ''look at all the Debris coming out'' so i do feel this is the case its making more.
Dad is a bit looser as well being barley and the lemon as high in wheat content as i have read again and told it can cause loose stools and at this 2 weeks from the 23rd of FEB up to now been on the lemon barley so looks like stopping it,by the way.
Stool sample tested and urine sample at the lab and all....Normal....No attention needed......done on the 10/3 so that's good.
Thought i would pass on this info and see if anyone is going through the same or knows any more on this as its looking like a weekly change if the open-end catheter when tried helps a bit.

[Pauline_1702]

My Mum (aged 91) has had a Catheter for about 5 years due to retention and cannot 'go' without one.
I've lost count of the number of antibiotic courses she has had for various infections and she has been hospitalised more than once and on IV Antibiotics for dangerous ESBL UTI'.
She regularly has debris coming down - some Nurses have told us 'we all have debris, we just don't see if when we don't have a Catheter'......
Sometimes if we pinch the tube to the leg bag, a 'blob' will come down and then the wee rushes down behind it.
Another thing we've been told 'get her to drink more water' - difficult when she is on a Fluid Restriction.
Sorry, this probably doesn't help, but yes, there are others with similar problems, so any advice/ideas are always welcome.
Pauline.

[jason_19031]

Thanks for the reply and anyone with the same does help as knowing he is not the only one.
Your true we all have the Debris coming out but can see it more when in a tube and yes i can see the same like blobs of it all white flakes.
I just want to try to get to the back of it is why more in the last 2 years when he had it for 7 years and went full 12 weeks before, nurses says it's the age thing and also how long he has had it for which does make sense.
If i can't stop the Debris or reduce it i wish there was a way which your urine when flows through takes it from the side of the catheter tube so it don't stick and makes it even more narrow to block, flushes only pushes Debris onto Debris which blocks before it even gets to the holes in the bladder as the tube gets blocked not the holes 99% of the time.
Is more acid the best way as PH is 8.5 or is this going to irritate it and make more as not gained a lot yet from Lemon Barley.
It needs to either be a different catheter which we have to try or something to add to the food/fluid to flush it off the sides.
Dad blood test/urine/stool/blood pressure are all o.k and all done in the last 2 to 4 weeks and can drink as much as he wants which he drinks 1.5L from 5 in the morning to 5 area at night but dad sometimes don't do anything in bad due to the way he is and said a lot of people when elderly are like this they don't pass urine a lot even if they drink litres then it starts.
Still looking and learning after 7 years and 2 months with this Foley catheter.

[Ayjay]

Have you tried increasing the size (bore) of the catheter? If it's a Supra pubic catheter there won't be a problem although I'm not sure about if it's an Intra urethral catheter.

[jason_19031]

About 12 months ago it went from 14 to 16 which didn't solve a lot but urology says it only makes bladder go into more spasm being that bit bigger but is still another option to a 18 as dad is so easy to insert even with a very enlarged prostate.
Was turned off the super-pubic as they said they have a lot more leaking problems which is harder it block as its where it is as dad just puts a pad or some cheap pads to catch the leak.

[Jane_180812345]

My husband has a supra pubic catheter as he has a spinal injury. We only get a leak from his penis if the catheter is blocked and he bypassed. The best thing we ever did was to get a water filter. It stops a lot of the scale in the water. Also he ‘milks’ the catheter pipe regularly to bring down any debris. I much prefer the supra pubic type to the urethral catheter