What is a 'Foley catheter'?

What is a 'Foley catheter'?

Mark Vogel (Board Certified Urologist) gives expert video advice on: What is a 'radical prostatectomy'?; What are the advantages and disadvantages of radical prostatectomy?; What is the recovery time after radical prostatectomy? and more...

A Foley catheter is a rubber tube, typically attached to a drainage bag, which allows the urine to flow from the body. After a radical prostatectomy, there needs to be time for the tissues to heal and to re-establish drainage between the bladder and the urethra, therefore the catheter is used to accomplish this during this healing process.