A retention catheter with a small, inflatable balloon at the tip is called a _____ catheter.

A retention catheter with a small, inflatable balloon at the tip is called a _____ catheter.

• A. Robinson
• B. Malecot
• C. Fogarty
• D. Foley

Answer: (D)

The key idea is recognizing the indwelling urinary catheter that uses a small inflatable balloon to secure itself in the bladder. After placement, the balloon is inflated with sterile fluid to anchor the catheter and prevent it from slipping out, which is what defines a Foley catheter. The other devices don’t share this balloon-anchoring feature: a Robinson catheter is a straight/intermittent catheter without a balloon; a Malecot catheter has a winged tip for anchoring but isn’t defined by an inflatable tip; a Fogarty catheter is a vascular instrument that uses a balloon to occlude vessels, not for urinary drainage.

The key idea is recognizing the indwelling urinary catheter that uses a small inflatable balloon to secure itself in the bladder. After placement, the balloon is inflated with sterile fluid to anchor the catheter and prevent it from slipping out, which is what defines a Foley catheter. The other devices don’t share this balloon-anchoring feature: a Robinson catheter is a straight/intermittent catheter without a balloon; a Malecot catheter has a winged tip for anchoring but isn’t defined by an inflatable tip; a Fogarty catheter is a vascular instrument that uses a balloon to occlude vessels, not for urinary drainage.