Reusable catheters are just as safe for patients as disposable catheters and do not increase the risk of urinary tract infections, a new study has found.
Thousands of people use the device to empty their bladders an average of four times a day, and the plastic tube is used only once before being thrown away.
Researchers at the University of Southampton followed hundreds of patients for a year to determine the health impact of reusable intermittent urinary catheters compared to disposable catheters.
They found that people who tested reusable catheters used 35% fewer antibiotics compared to disposable-only catheters.
Groundbreaking research published in International Nursing Research Journalwas funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NIHR).
Experts say the findings could save the NHS millions of dollars and reduce thousands of tonnes of plastic waste generated each year.
Until now, there has been a real lack of high-quality evidence to support catheter reuse.
However, our study allows us to say for the first time that switching to reusable catheters is a safe option. ”
mandy fader First author, Professor; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southampton
Patients in the UK have been strictly advised by medical professionals to use disposable catheters to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) for decades, leaving no choice for those who wish to use environmentally friendly reusable options.
The Southampton study followed 578 participants in two groups for 12 months, one of whom used disposable tubes.
However, the other group used both reusable and disposable catheters and were given a kit to clean them with soap and water and then soak them in a chlorine solution.
The scientists found that 29 percent of the mixed-use group experienced at least one UTI per year, compared to about 34 percent of the group that used a new UTI each time.
Study co-author Margaret Macaulay, also from Southampton, said: “The NHS is full of single-use products and many health professionals are warning against reusable products due to the risk of infection.”
“However, our results clearly show that reusable catheters can and should be used in the NHS without increasing infection rates.
“People should be able to choose to switch depending on their lifestyle needs, and we need to reduce the throwaway culture in health services.”
The researchers say around 100 million disposable catheters are prescribed by the NHS across the UK each year.
It also found that the cost of single-use tubes to taxpayers has risen from £22m in 1998 to around £200m in 2026.
“A box of 30 disposable catheters costs around £50,” added Kathy Murphy, professor of urinary tract at Southampton.
“The reusable catheters used in our trial cost less than 10p per use and can be reused for a month. If just 25 per cent of patients switched, the NHS could potentially save millions of dollars.”
Professor Marian Knight, NIHR Applied Research Grants Program Director, said: “This study is a powerful example of how NIHR-funded research can have real-world impact, improving patient choice, saving the NHS millions and reducing plastic waste.”
“These findings will give the NHS the evidence it needs to consider introducing reusable catheters.
“This shows that the thousands of people who use catheters every day can choose reusable catheters without worrying about increased risk of infection compared to disposable options, giving patients a more environmentally friendly option.”
sauce:
University of Southampton
Reference magazines:
Fader, M. Others. (2026). Mixed (reusable/single-use) versus single-use catheter management for intermittent catheter users (MultICath): A noninferiority randomized controlled trial. International Nursing Research Journal. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105536. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020748926002087?via%3Dihub
