Researchers from Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, in their research article entitled "Short-Term Indwelling Foley Catheters Do Not Reduce the Risk of Postoperative Urinary Retention in Uncomplicated Primary THA and TKA” published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery demonstrated whether a short-term Foley catheter (inserted in the operating room and removed upon arrival to the orthopaedic floor) would reduce the risk of postoperative urinary retention (POUR) in patients undergoing total hip (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). According to the study, utilizing a short-term Foley catheter during surgery and removal upon transfer to the orthopaedic floor does not lower the POUR rate.

228 TKA patients and 160 TKA patients were randomized to receive a short-term Foley catheter (143 male and 245 female). POUR was the primary outcome measured. UTI or urinary tract infections (within three weeks) and requirement of ≥1 straight catheterization. were secondary outcomes
The study results could be summarised as follows:
Nine patients developed POUR, four in the short-term Foley group and 5 in the control group, 2.1% versus 2.6%.
Males were more prone to develop POUR compared to females (88.9% versus 11.1%)
10 in the Foley group and 14 in the control group, 5.2% versus 7.2%, required ≥1 straight catheterization
3 in the Foley group and 1 in the control group, 1.5% versus 0.5% developed UTIs on intention-to-treat analysis
Four in the Foley group and none in the control group developed UTIs (2.1% versus 0.0%) on as-treated analysis.
Concluding further, they wrote that using a short-term Foley catheter inserted in the operating room and removed on arrival to the orthopaedic floor does not decrease the rate of POUR.
Further reading:
Weintraub, Matthew T. BS1; Yang, JaeWon MD1; Nam, Denis MD, MSc1,a; Greenspoon, Joshua A. MD1; DeBenedetti, Anne MSc1; Karas, Vasili MD, MS1; Mehta, Neal MD2; Della Valle, Craig J. MD1. Short-Term Indwelling Foley Catheters Do Not Reduce the Risk of Postoperative Urinary Retention in Uncomplicated Primary THA and TKA: A Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery 105(4):p 312-319, February 15, 2023. | DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.22.00759