foley
n. countable C1 Advanced US //ˈfoʊɫi// fo·ley
n. a flexible tube that a doctor or nurse puts into your body to drain urine. It stays in place with a small balloon at the end.
n. an indwelling urinary catheter held in place by an inflatable balloon at the tip. Named after the surgeon Frederic Foley; often used in clinical shorthand.
The nurse checked the foley to make sure it was draining properly.
Following the surgery, the patient required a foley for forty-eight hours to monitor urine output.
The clinical protocol requires strict sterile technique during the insertion of a foley to minimize the risk of hospital-acquired urinary tract infections.
Usage
Often used as a modifier in the phrase 'foley catheter', though frequently shortened to just the headword in medical contexts.