Foleys in a nutshell

Published Date: 19th July 2016

Publication Authors: McCabe JE

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Introduction and Objectives 

Dr. Frederic Eugen Basil Foley, best known to modern urologists as the man whose name attached to the self-retaining balloon catheter, the commonest urethral catheter ever used. 

Materials and Methods 

Dr Foley was an American Urologist, from St. Cloud, Minnesota (5th April, 1891 - 24th March, 1966). He studied languages at Yale University, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1914, and trained in medicine at John Hopkins School of Medicine until his graduation in 1918. Foley worked as a urologist in Boston, Massachusetts and became chief of urology at Ancker Hospital, Minnesota.

Results 

In 1930, Foley developed an indwelling catheter to provide continuous drainage of the bladder, preceded by describing self-retaining balloon catheter in 1929, used to achieve haemostasis after cystoscopic prostatectomy. Foley introduced latex balloon catheter at a urological meeting in 1935, which was adopted by C.R Bard Company of New Jersey for distributing these catheters, under the name of the inventor. Though Foley lost a legal battle with Davol Company for the patent later on, this catheter has since been known as the "Foley". Foley had further contributions in medical inventions in addition to urethral catheters; Foleys Procedure (or Foley Y-plasty Pyeloplasty) a novel technique for treating Pelvi-Ureteric Junction stricture, also described the first Artificial Urethral Sphincter.

Conclusion 

Throughout the years, the materials used to make catheters have been evolved, but the basic design of the 1930s is unchanged as first described by Dr Foley in 1930. Foleys catheter has been sized using the French units, where 1Fr is equivalent to 0.33mm.  

Abusanad, O; McCabe, J. (2014).  Foleys in a nutshell . Urology. 84 (4 Supplement), S232

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