Besides infection, what is a common complication of long-term indwelling urinary catheters?

• A. Encrustation and Blockage
• B. Urethral Trauma
• C. Kidney Stones
• D. Hematuria

Answer: (A)

Encrustation and blockage are common mechanical issues with long-term indwelling catheters. Over time, minerals in the urine can crystallize on the catheter surface, especially when bacteria that produce urease (like Proteus) raise urine pH. This causes formation of crystals such as struvite and carbonate apatite, which build up on the catheter and around the drainage lumen, narrowing or blocking the tube. When the catheter lumen becomes obstructed, urine can’t drain properly, leading to back-pressure, discomfort, and a higher risk of infection, often necessitating catheter changes.

Urethral trauma tends to occur with insertion or removal or from improper balloon inflation, not as a persistent long-term complication. Kidney stones form in the kidney and are not a direct, frequent consequence of long-term catheter use. Hematuria can occur but is less characteristic and not as consistently seen as encrustation with long-term catheterization.