Effect of Urinary Catheter Removal Time on Satisfaction of Patients After Lower Limb Fracture Surgery: A Clinical Trial

Background and Objectives The patients undergoing lower limb fracture surgery face with several complications and problems. One of these complications is related to use of urinary catheters and their indwelling which may affect the patients’ satisfaction. This study aims to determine the effect of urinary catheter removal time on the satisfaction of patients undergoing lower limb fracture surgery. Subjects and Methods This is a non-randomized clinical trial that was conducted during 2018-2019 in Tehran, Iran. By using a convenience sampling method, 84 patients undergoing lower limb fracture surgery in the orthopedic department of Imam Khomeini and Bank Melli hospitals were selected and divided into three groups of 28: Catheter removal after 24 hours, catheter removal after 48 hours, and catheter removal after 72 hours. The data were collected through self-reporting and interview. 72 hours after catheterization and voluntary urination, they completed a demographic form and a patient satisfaction questionnaire. The gathered data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS software, version 16. Results All three groups showed high satisfaction with their urination and there was no significant difference among the groups (P=0.86). Regarding overall satisfaction, there was a significant difference among three groups (P=0.031), where the overall satisfaction was higher in patients with 24-hour catheterization. Conclusion Early removal of urinary catheters in patients undergoing lower limb fracture surgery is associated with their higher overall satisfaction.