Patients with catheters can carry urine bags or attach them to their thighs or legs. Flexible bag racks are commonly used to hang urine bags around the bed, but can also be used to hang urine bags around the waistband. The bag is tucked into the pants for easy access. This also helps prevent traumatic hypospadias caused by persistent pressure on the ventral urethra by a catheter. You can learn more from the following article.

Here are the main points of the article:

What is a urine bag for?

How do you attach or remove a urine bag?

What are the care tips for your urine bag?

What is a urine bag for?

Urine bag is a special bag used to collect urine after bladder surgery. Urine will flow out of your abdomen, not into your bladder. The area outside your abdomen is called the stomata. After a urostomy, your urine passes through your stoma into a special bag called a urine bag. Taking care of your pores and surrounding skin is important to prevent skin and kidney infections.

How do you attach or remove a urine bag?

The way to attach or remove a urine bag is as follows:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for 15 seconds.

• Empty large drain bags. Different types of drain open differently: you take a drain off its sleeve, you open a clamp on the side, or you twist an opening. Whichever method you use, make sure you don't touch the tip of the urine as it flows out of the large urine bag into the container or toilet.

• Place a towel at the connection between the catheter and the bag.

• Squeeze out the soft rubber tube (catheter) so the urine doesn't leak out. Remove the catheter from the current large drainage bag by twisting.

• Pinch the soft hose (catheter) tightly to prevent leakage of urine. Be careful not to pull the catheter. Put the old big drain bag on the towel. Prepare to place the urine bag into the catheter, just break open the large drainage bag from the catheter.

• Remove the protective layer at the end of the leg bag drain tube. Save this technique for later use. Clean the tip of your nose with an alcohol pad and wipe from the opening to avoid staining the tube.

• Insert the tip into the catheter.

• Tie the belt of your trouser pocket to your thigh.

• Tape the catheter to your leg. Be sure to leave some loose catheters so you don't put too much pressure on the bladder, urethra and other parts of the body. Don't tie the strap on your leg bag too tight, it will interfere with your circulation.

• If your legs are dirty, wash them with soap and water.

What are the care tips for your urine bag?

• Drink more water. If your doctor agrees, you should drink at least eight cups of healthy fluids a day.

• Do not pull or drag the tubing. This can lead to bleeding and injury in the area where the water-filled balloon is located.

• Don't step on the tubing while walking. When you walk, hold the catheter in your hand and place the urine bag under your bladder. You may also want to clip or needle your clothes.

• Arrange the catheter so that it does not twist or loop. When you go to bed, hang the urine bag by the bed. You can sleep in any position as long as the bedside bag is under your bladder. Don't leave urine bags on the floor.

• Place your urine bag under your bladder, which is at your waist. This will prevent urine from flowing from pipes and bags back into the bladder, which can lead to infection. Also, don't fall asleep or take a nap with your leg bag.

• When you're in the shower, you can put that big drain bag in the right place and hang it over the railing in the shower area. You can also insert a plug where the catheter is connected to the urine bag. Put the drain bag aside in the shower, cover the connector, and reconnect when finished. It is important to put a cap on the urine bag at the end of the pipe so that it does not become contaminated.

• If you take the catheter out, it will stop draining or leaking water. If this happens, call your doctor. Many things can lead to leakage: a dislocation, bladder spasm, or blockage. In all cases, notify your doctor.

• Check the catheter and drainage tube regularly to make sure the catheter is not squeezed or wound.

Hope the article above can help you manage your urine bags with greater ease!