Uses
Placement of a catheter into a particular part of the body may allow:

Draining urine from the urinary bladder as in urinary catheterization, using intermittent catheters or Foley catheter inserted through urethra. When the urethra is damaged, suprapubic catheterisation is used instead. The suprapubic catheter is inserted through the lower part of the abdomen directly into the urinary bladder. drainage of urine from the kidney by percutaneous (through the skin) nephrostomy
drainage of fluid collections, e.g. an abdominal abscess
pigtail catheter: used to drain air from around the lung (pneumothorax)
administration of intravenous fluids, medication or parenteral nutrition with a peripheral venous catheter or central venous catheter
angioplasty, angiography, balloon septostomy, balloon sinuplasty, cardiac electrophysiology testing, catheter ablation. Often the Seldinger technique is used. direct measurement of blood pressure in an artery or vein
direct measurement of intracranial pressure
administration of anaesthetic medication into the epidural space, the subarachnoid space, or around a major nerve bundle such as the brachial plexus
transfer of fertilized embryos, from in vitro fertilization, or sperm, during artificial insemination, into the uterus
administration of oxygen, volatile anesthetic agents, and other breathing gases into the lungs using a tracheal tube
subcutaneous administration of insulin or other medications, with the use of an infusion set and insulin pump

History
Ancient inventors
Ancient Chinese used onion stalks, the Romans, Hindus, and Greeks used tubes of wood or precious metals.The ancient Syrians created catheters from reeds. Modern
The earliest invention of the flexible catheter was during the 18th century.
: 142 In 1982, Quinton together with Dr Sakharam Mahurkar, a nephrologist at County Cook Hospital in Chicago, developed dual-lumen catheter which became the standard for haemodialysis and apheresis.Sheridan was dubbed the "Catheter King" by Forbes magazine in 1988. He also invented the modern "disposable" plastic endotracheal tube now used routinely in surgery. Materials
Urinary catheters
A range of polymers are used for the construction of catheters, including silicone rubber, nylon, polyurethane, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), latex, and thermoplastic elastomers. Silicone is one of the most common implantable choice because it is inert and unreactive to body fluids and a range of medical fluids with which it might come into contact. On the other hand, the polymer is weak mechanically, and a number of serious fractures have occurred in catheters. For example, silicone is used in Foley catheters where fractures have been reported, often requiring surgery to remove the tip left in the bladder. There are many different types of catheters for bladder problems. A typical modern intermittent catheter is made from polyurethane and comes in different lengths and sizes for men, women and children.Some catheters are packed in a sterile saline solution.