noun
catheter
KATH-uh-ter/ˈkæθətər/
A tube inserted into the body to remove or deliver fluids.
The urinary catheter connects to a collection bag for draining fluid.
Etymology
“Sending down” described an instrument thrust into the body, originally to draw urine from the bladder. That insertion image survives in the modern tube used to drain or deliver fluid.
In context
Using a fluorescent dye that illuminates the blood vessels under a strong x-ray, the physician inserts a long, thin, flexible tube called a catheter into an artery in the leg and maneuvers it all the way to the blockage.
More examples
- A sterile catheter delivers fluid into the vessel.
- The nurse records the output from the catheter.
- The medical diagram shows the position of the catheter.
Forms
catheter · catheters
Similar words
- cannula
- Often a shorter inserted tube used for access or delivery.
- drain
- Any device removing fluid, without specifying its precise design.