When monitoring a TURP patient with a continuous bladder irrigation, which finding indicates a potential catheter obstruction?

• A. The color of urine
• B. Catheter for clots
• C. Heart rate changes
• D. Blood pressure changes

Answer: (B)

When a patient has continuous bladder irrigation after TURP, keeping the catheter patent is the focus. The most direct indication of a catheter obstruction is finding clots in the catheter or drainage line. Clots can clog the lumen, reducing or stopping drainage and irrigation flow, which signals a blockage that needs attention.

Other signs like the color of the urine can be expected to be bloody after TURP and don’t alone prove obstruction. Vital sign changes—heart rate or blood pressure—are nonspecific and can be caused by pain, bleeding, or fluid shifts rather than a blocked catheter. So, the presence of clots in the catheter is the best indicator of obstruction and prompts assessment and intervention to restore patency.