(kăth′ĕ-tĕr)
[Pronunciation]
[Gr. katheter, something inserted]

A tube passed into the body for evacuating fluids or injecting them into body cavities.
It may be made of elastic, elastic web, rubber, glass, metal, or plastic.

Figure: TYPES OF CATHETERS

Subentries:
antimicrobial-impregnated central catheter
arterial catheter
balloon catheter
Bozeman-Fritsch catheter
cardiac catheter
central catheter
central venous catheter
condom catheter
double-channel catheter
elbowed catheter
eustachian catheter
female catheter
Foley catheter
glide catheter
guide catheter
heparin-bonded catheter
Hickman catheter
impregnated catheter
indwelling catheter
intra-aortic catheter
intravenous catheter
Karman catheter
male catheter
pacing catheter
peripherally inserted central venous catheter
pharyngeal suction catheter
presternal catheter
prostatic catheter
pulmonary artery catheter
self-retaining catheter
suprapubic catheter
Swan-Ganz catheter
Tenckhoff peritoneal catheter
triple-lumen catheter
tunneled central venous catheter
umbilical vein catheter
vertebrated catheter
winged catheter
Yankauer suction catheter