Case report: failure of foley catheter balloon deflation in a patient undergoing intravesical gemcitabine instillation

Tóm tắt

Introduction: Intravesical gemcitabine instillation using a Foley catheter is a common therapeutic approach in bladder cancer management. Although rare, failure of Foley catheter balloon deflation can complicate clinical management and compromise patient safety. Case presentation: A 46-year-old male was admitted for intravesical gemcitabine instillation. A 14F Foley catheter was inserted, and the balloon was inflated with 10 ml of sterile water before gemcitabine was instilled. At the end of the dwell time, the nurse was unable to aspirate the balloon fluid, preventing catheter removal. Multiple attempts-including syringe replacement, stronger suction, and reinflation-were unsuccessful. The primary doctor and a urologist were consulted. Balloon tubing was cut, but no fluid was released. While awaiting cystoscopic intervention, spontaneous leakage occurred, allowing easy removal of the catheter. Post-removal inspection revealed normal balloon function. The patient was addmited for overnight observation; he voided normally without dysuria or pain and was discharged in the next monring, completing treatment of intravesical chemotherpy. Conclusion: The cause of balloon deflation failure in this case remained unclear, but the problem was resolved spontaneously. Multidisciplinary collaboration ensured comprehensive evaluation and avoided unnecessary invasive intervention. This case also highlights the importance of cytotoxic handling precautions when cutting the Foley balloon channel during intravesical chemotherapy.