A Foley catheter is an indwelling urinary catheter. Named for Frederic Foley, the surgeon who first designed the catheter, the Foley is a hollow, flexible tube that is inserted into the bladder through the urethra.

In general, there are 2 types of materials: LATEX, SILICONE. In the past, patients who are allergic to latex would have issues with catheters of all types, as they often contained latex. Currently, most major brands of catheters have no latex component at all, eliminating this risk in almost all cases. Patients with latex sensitivity or allergies should notify their healthcare team prior to treatment, as there are many other potential sources of latex that should be avoided, then silicone foley catheter would be the better option.