Tricks of the trade – what your patient’s urine collection bag is telling you.

 

yellow =  normal

darker yellow = concentrated urine (patient may be dehydrated)

red (non-translucent) = traumatic catheter insertion / traumatized genitourinary (GU) system.

red (translucent) = hemoglobinurea (free hemoglobin in urine) >> may cause acute renal failure > keep patient mildly alkalemic to avoid free hemoglobin-distal convoluted tubule complexes from forming.

green / light blue – patient may be receiving MethleneBlue intravenously as “nitric oxide scavenger” therapy (MORE TO FOLLOW).  or after abdominal surgery (if JP drains drain from the abdomen, there is a vascular leak in the abdomen (MORE TO FOLLOW).

near clear = likely a “forced” diuresis (ex. Lasix)

red (from dark red > to light red > to clear) – likely, ongoing bladder irrigation as a washout of bladder.

2 bottles hanging  are infusing into the bladder – to be followed by release of bladder irrigant into urine collection bag.