A Retrospective Audit of Indwelling Urinary Catheter Practices in Primary Hip Fracture Patients at Fiona Stanley Hospital

The pre-operative utilisation of indwelling urinary catheters (IDCs) has become standard orthopaedic practice in patients with hip fractures with the aim to minimise the incidence of post-operative bladder dysfunction which occurs due to administration of analgesia and anaesthesia [1]. Despite the practical benefits of IDC insertion, there are well-documented associated risks which include hospital-acquired urinary tract infection (UTI), which is positively correlated with its duration in situ-estimated to be around 5-10% each catheter day after the first 48 hours of catheterisation [2]. Hospital-acquired UTIs have significant patient and healthcare costs, resulting in prolonged hospital stay, bacteraemia, prosthetic joint infections, and death [1].