Job discontinued large condom catheters

Discussion

My workplace recently stopped stocking the 35mm condom catheters — the external male urinary collection devices often used for managing incontinence and tracking output.

I’m not sure why they’ve stopped supplying them to the units, but it seems like an intentional shift. The problem? We’re now left with only 30mm and 25mm options, which are significantly smaller.

To put it into context: 35mm accommodates about a 4.3" flaccid girth. The 30mm version (now our largest) fits around 3.7". Out of curiosity, I tested the 30mm on myself and found it uncomfortably tight — to the point of pain. I can only imagine the potential for skin breakdown, circulation issues, or even skin tears in patients, especially elderly patients with weaker skin.

What’s been bothering me even more is that none of my coworkers seem particularly concerned. No one’s really questioned it or pushed back — even though I’ve already seen signs of skin compromise in some patients. It feels like everyone’s just accepting it and using smaller sizes (which i understand most of the time we use the smaller sizes but this is frustrating to me). We're supposed to be advocates for our patients, and this seems like a basic issue to have options to support patients with different anatomies.

I’d like to bring this up through the proper channels, but I’m struggling with how to do it tactfully. I don’t want it to sound like I’m making it about myself or being inappropriate, but I really think anatomical diversity in medical supplies is a safety and dignity issue that deserves more attention.

Has anyone else noticed this trend or dealt with similar limitations? Any advice on how to advocate for more appropriate sizing options in a way that gets taken seriously?

Posted Aug 4, 2025, 11:23 AM UTC

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