Programs and Services

Urology

Urology

Suprapubic Tube Placement (SPT)

What is Suprapubic Tube Placement?

A suprapubic tube is a catheter that is inserted into your bladder through the lower part of your abdomen in order to empty your bladder. This tube may be plugged into a bag or may be capped and periodically drained.

Who is a candidate?

Those patients who cannot empty their bladders are potential candidates.

How do I have one placed?

If you should decide to have a suprapubic tube placed after discussing all available options with your physician, Kernan Hospital can schedule your procedure. The procedure takes approximately 10 minutes in the operating room. You will be sent home shortly after the procedure has been completed.

How do I manage the tube?

Initially, we allow the site to heal for 6 weeks. After this, we will change the tube and place a new one. Once the tube has been changed once, we can either teach you how to do this at home or we can change it for you every 4-6 weeks. We recommend periodically irrigating the tube to remove sediment and prevent stone formation.

For more information about our urology services, or to make an appointment, please call 410-448-6450.