The objective of this crossover study was to compare the use of two catheters for clean intermittent catheterization in continent children with a urostomy, in terms of their handling, complications and direct costs. This study complied with all ethical requirements and was developed at a Children's Hospital in the city of São Paulo. The children who, together with their guardians, agreed to participate in the study were submitted to the consecutive use of both the traditional and the pre-lubricated catheter, for one month each. During that period, the children completed the data collection instruments and were followed by the researchers once a week through home visits and hospital consultations, including quantitative and qualitative urine cultures that were performed every other week. Data analysis was performed using Wilcoxon and Kaplan-Meier tests. Eleven children completed the study. Statistical significant differences were found only for costs (p=0.003), which were higher for pre-lubricated catheters.
Surgical stomas; Urinary diversion; Urinary catheterization; Health care costs
