A flexible tube (catheter) used for the short term drainage of urine. Unlike the Foley catheter, the Nelaton catheter has no balloon on its tip and thus cannot not stay in situ unaided.
The Nelaton catheter can be inserted into the bladder via the urethra or a Mitrofanoff.
Lubrication and local anaesthetic are optional.
The most common use for a Nelaton catheter is Continent Intermittant Self Catheterization.