What do systematic reviews say?

Suprapubic catheterisation vs intermittent urethral catheterisation

Suprapubic catheterisation showed no clear difference in number of participants with symptomatic UTI compared with intermittent urethral catheterisation (low certainty).

• Urethral (indwelling or intermittent) or suprapubic routes for short‐term catheterisation in hospitalised adults 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.67 [0.68, 4.1]
  1 study · 72 participants
  Low

Indwelling urethral catheterisation vs suprapubic catheterisation

It is very uncertain whether indwelling urethral catheterisation changes number of participants with symptomatic UTI compared with suprapubic catheterisation (very low certainty).

• Urethral (indwelling or intermittent) or suprapubic routes for short‐term catheterisation in hospitalised adults 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.01 [0.61, 1.69]
  5 studies · 575 participants
  Very low

Indwelling urethral catheterisation vs intermittent urethral catheterisation

• Urethral (indwelling or intermittent) or suprapubic routes for short‐term catheterisation in hospitalised adults 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 162 participants
  Very low