Suprapubic Cystostomy

A suprapubic cystostomy, or suprapubic catheter, is a surgically created connection between the bladder and the skin above the pubic bone, used to drain urine in patients whose normal urinary flow is obstructed, without passing through the abdominal cavity. It is used to manage blockages caused by conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, traumatic urethral injury, congenital urinary tract defects, kidney stones lodged in the urethra, or cancer, and is also common among spinal cord injury patients who cannot use intermittent catheterization. A thin catheter is first placed through the skin into the bladder, often with ultrasound guidance, and left in place for up to a month while a scarred tract forms; the catheter is then periodically replaced to help prevent infection.