Plan Your Catheterisation Procedure in India – Step by Step Guide

Plan your catheterisation procedure in India with GetWellGo – a complete step-by-step guide for international patients seeking quality, affordable care.

Plan Your Catheterisation Procedure in India – Step by Step Guide

  • Category

    Cardiology

  • Published By

    GetWellGo Team

  • Updated on

    10-Oct-2025

Catheterisation in India

A medical procedure whereby a thin and flexible tube known as a catheter is inserted into the body to drain fluids (such as urine) or to inject drugs (such as medicine or contrast dye).

Types of Catheterisation:

Urinary Catheterisation

  • Introduction of catheter into the bladder via the urethra (or a small hole in the abdomen in suprapubic catheterisation).
  • Purpose: To empty the urine when one is not able to urinate normally, at surgery, or in case of a particular illness.

Cardiac Catheterisation

  • A catheter is put in one of the blood vessels (usually in the groin or in the wrist) and directed to the heart.
  • Purpose: Diagnosis or treatment of heart diseases (e.g., angioplasty, stent placement).

Catheterisation- intravenous (IV)

  • Introduction of a catheter in a vein
  • Purpose: To give out fluid, blood or medication.

Central Venous Catheterisation

  • The catheter is placed in a big vein (neck, chest or groin).
  • Purpose: To administer long-term medication, nutrition or monitoring.

Common Indications

  • Retention or obstruction of the urine.
  • Surgical intervention which involves constant drainage or administration of medication.
  • Evaluation of heart disease (blockages, valve problems)
  • Chemotherapy or dialysis.
  • Central venous pressure.

Factors Affecting Catheter insertion procedure cost in India

The following is a clear categorisation of factors that can influence the Catheterisation surgery price in India, as the cost may differ significantly, based on the type of catheterisation (urinary, cardiac, central venous, or dialysis).

Type of Catheterisation

  • Urinary Catheterisation- least costly (easy urethrally insertion vs suprapubic surgical insertion).
  • Cardiac Catheterisation - more expensive (diagnostic angiography as opposed to therapeutic angioplasty with stent).
  • Central Venous Catheterisation- medium cost (catheter type is dependent: PICC line, port, tunneled catheter).
  • Dialysis Catheterisation- varies (temporary vs. permanent tunneled catheter).

Diagnostic vs. Therapeutic Procedure

  • Diagnostic (e.g. cardiac angiography, urinary drainage) => cheaper.
  • Therapeutic (e.g., angioplasty + stent, dialysis access creation) → increased cost because of equipment as well as more hospitalization time.

Type of Hospital / Facility

  • Private hospitals - more expensive because more advanced technology, better facilities.
  • Speciality centers (cardiac/kidney/urology hospital) → can be more expensive but provide specialized care.

Location of Hospital

  • Prices are more expensive in metro cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai) than in small towns.

Type & Quality of Catheter

  • Single-use urinary catheters are simple to use and cheap.
  • Special catheters (drug-eluting stents, tunneled dialysis catheters, chemo-ports) - much more expensive.

Surgeon / Specialist Fees

  • The fees of Urologists, Cardiologists, Nephrologists, or Interventional Radiologists never remain the same based on experience and reputation.

Hospital Stays and Post-Purchases

  • Day-care process (urinary catheterisation, diagnostic angiography) → less expensive.
  • Operation that requires ICU commitment (cardiac angioplasty, dialysis catheter insertion with complications) → increased cost.

Use of Imaging & Technology

  • Fluoroscopy, contrast dye, cath lab inserted, therefore increasing cost of cardiac catheterisation.
  • Ultrasound/fluoroscopy guidance could be required with dialysis catheters.

Other Tests and medications

  • Investigations carried out pre-procedure (blood tests, ECG, echocardiography, X-ray, CT/MRI).
  • After procedure drugs (antibiotics, blood thinner, painkillers, etc.).

Urinary catheterisation treatment in India

  • What it is: The catheter is a surgically inserted tube that drains urine in the bladder.
  • Function: This is to empty the bladder in case it cannot empty on its own.

Indications:

  • Urinary retention (prostate enlargement, nerve damage, post-surgery)
  • Incontinence (severe cases)
  • Bladder drain surgery

Methods:

  • Urethral Catheterisation- implanted through the urethra.
  • Suprapubic Catheterisation- insertion via a minor incision in the lower abdomen into the bladder.
  • Signs: Post-operative bladder obstruction, post-operative drainage, urinary retention, prostate enlargement.
  • Duration: 10–30 minutes.

Best hospitals for catheterisation in India

Catheterisation procedure for international patients India

The combination of modern healthcare facilities, medical expertise and low cost of treatment has enabled India to emerge as one of the most preferred international destinations by patients requiring catheterisation procedures. Catheterisation is an operation as a diagnostic or a therapeutic method that is minimally invasive in nature, usually on the heart, the urinary tract, or the blood vessels.

Introduction to Catheterisation Procedure

Catheterisation is the insertion of a thin and flexible tube of a body cavity or blood vessel to be diagnosed or treated.

Common types include:

  • Cardiac Catheterisation- To diagnose and treat heart diseases.
  • Urinary Catheterisation To remove urine or administer drugs into the bladder.
  • Central Venous Catheterisation - IV fluids, chemotherapy or dialysis.
  • Peripheral or Arterial Catheterisation- To measure blood pressure or sample blood.

Why International Patients prefer India?

Key advantages include:

  • Low Prices: 6080 percent cheaper than in the western world.
  • World-Class Hospitals: NABH and JCI-accredited hospitals having sophisticated catheterisation laboratories.
  • Well-trained Specialists: International-trained cardiologists, urologists and vascular surgeons.
  • Multilingual Support: patient coordinators and English speaking medical staff.
  • Complete Support: Medical visa, airport pick up, accommodation and translators.

Catheterisation Procedure Steps

Pre-Procedure

  • Medical examination and radiology (e.g., ECG, ultrasound, CT angiography).
  • Pre-procedure fasting (68 hours typically).
  • Informed consent and allergy test (in particular contrast dye).

During the Procedure

  • Local anaesthesia applied.
  • A small puncture is made (usually in the groin, arm or neck) where a sterile catheter is placed.
  • Imaging guidance (fluoroscopy or ultrasound) helps with proper positioning.
  • Such diagnostic measurements or interventions (e.g., angioplasty, stent insertion, drainage) are carried out.

Post-Procedure

  • Follow-up during several hours (or night in case of cardiac cases).
  • Elimination of catheter and dressing of place of insertion.
  • Typical discharge of diagnostic cases is 1-2 days.

Recovery and Aftercare

  • Rest for 1–2 days post-procedure.
  • Do not lift anything heavy within a period of 48 hours.
  • Maintain cleanliness and dryness of the site of insertion.
  • Take medicine as ordered and on schedule.

Catheterisation treatment in India GetWellGo

GetWellGo is regarded as a leading supplier of healthcare services. We help our foreign clients choose the best treatment locations that suit their needs both financially and medically.

We offer:

  • Complete transparency
  • Fair costs.
  • 24 hour availability.
  • Medical E-visas
  • Online consultation from recognized Indian experts.
  • Assistance in selecting India's top hospitals for Catheterisation treatment.
  • Expert urologist/nephrologist/cardiologist with a strong track record of success
  • Assistance during and after the course of treatment.
  • Language Support
  • Travel and Accommodation Services
  • Case manager assigned to every patient to provide seamless support in and out of the hospital like appointment booking
  • Local SIM Cards
  • Currency Exchange
  • Arranging Patient’s local food

 

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