ABSTRACT
<p>Introduction: The urination state of patients in the palliative care unit varies according to their age, performance status, underlying disease, and the presence of delirium. However, there are currently few reports concerning the urination state of these patients. Here, we report the current state of urinary catheterization in our hospital palliative care unit. Methods: A total of 249 consecutive patients hospitalized between January 2012 and December 2013 in our hospital palliative care unit were included. We retrospectively investigated the numbers and causes of urinary catheterization along with the background of the patients (age, underlying disease, and average length of hospital stay). Results: Of the 249 patients, 124 (49.8%) used a urinary catheter. The median period of catheterization was 6 days. Excluding continuation of the previous physician’s orders, the main cause of urinary catheterization was reduced activities of daily living after admission. In 12 cases (9.7%), the catheter was removed because of discomfort of the patients. Conclusion: Approximately half of all patients treated in our palliative care unit received urinary catheterization. As a cause of urinary catheterization, reduced activities of daily living after admission was the most frequent. Since the urination state affects the quality of life in palliative care patients, it is important to consider the appropriate adaptation of urinary catheters.</p>