Reusable catheters are a safe choice that could cut antibiotic use and NHS costs
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Reusable catheters are just as safe for patients as single-use ones and do not increase the risk of urinary tract infections, a new study has found.
Thousands of people use the devices to empty their bladders as much as four times a day on average, and the plastic tubes are used just once before being discarded.
Researchers from the University of Southampton followed hundreds of patients for a year to measure the health impact of reusable intermittent urinary catheters against single-use ones.
They discovered that those who tested reusable catheters used 35% fewer antibiotics compared to their single-use only counterparts.
The study is published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies.
Experts say the findings could save the NHS millions and cut down on thousands of tons of plastic waste produced each year.
Lead author Professor Mandy Fader, in the school of Health Sciences at the University of Southampton, said, "Until now, there has been a real lack of high-quality evidence to support the reuse of catheters.
"But, with our study, we can say for the first time that it is a safe option to switch to reusable catheters."
For decades, patients in the UK have been strictly advised by health care professionals to use single-use catheters to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs), leaving no choice for those wanting to use the more green-friendly reusable options.
The Southampton study followed 578 participants across a 12-month period, split into two groups—one of which stuck to single-use tubes.
The other group, however, used both the reusable and single-use catheters, and were given a kit to wash them in soap and water, followed by a soak in chlorine solution.
Scientists found 29% of those in the mixed-use group had at least one UTI during the year, compared to about 34% of those who used a fresh one each time.
Study co-author Margaret Macaulay, also from Southampton, said, "The NHS is full of single-use products, and many health care professionals caution against reusable items because of the risk of infection.
"However, our results clearly show that reusable catheters can and should be used by the NHS without increasing infection rates.
"People should have the choice to switch depending on their lifestyle needs—and cut down on the throwaway culture in our health service."
According to the research team, around 100 million single-use catheters are prescribed by the NHS across the UK every year.
They also found that cost of the single-use tubes to taxpayers has risen from £22million in 1998 to around £200million in 2026.
"A box of 30 single-use catheters can cost about £50," added Southampton Professor of Continence Cathy Murphy.
"Reusable catheters in our trial cost less than 10p per use and can be reused for a month. If just 25% of patients made the switch, the NHS could save millions."
Professor Marian Knight, NIHR Programme Director of Programme Grants for Applied Research said, "This study is a powerful example of how NIHR-funded research could lead to real-world impact, improving patient choice, saving the NHS millions, and reducing plastic waste.
"These findings will give the NHS the evidence it needs to consider introducing reusable catheters.
"It shows that thousands of people who use catheters every day could choose reusable catheters without concern about an increased risk of infection compared with single-use options, giving patients access to a more environmentally friendly choice."
More information
Mandy Fader et al, Mixed (reusable/single-use) catheter management versus single-use catheter management for intermittent catheter users (MultICath): A non-inferiority randomised controlled trial, International Journal of Nursing Studies (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2026.105536
Key medical concepts
Urinary Tract InfectionsAnti-Bacterial Agents
Clinical categories
UrologyCommon illnesses & Prevention Provided by University of Southampton Who's behind this story?
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Citation: Reusable catheters are a safe choice that could cut antibiotic use and NHS costs (2026, May 20) retrieved 21 May 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-reusable-catheters-safe-choice-antibiotic.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.