Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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Short answer: yes, in the sense that matters. A cystostomy is the surgically created opening into the bladder, and a suprapubic catheter is the tube that drains urine through a cystostomy made in the lower abdomen. The two terms name the opening and the device, so they are used side by side rather than as rivals.
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Who this is for: clinic staff, procurement and stocking teams, and students who meet both terms in product catalogues, charts and coursework and need to know whether they refer to one thing or two.
Is a suprapubic catheter a cystostomy?
The U.S. National Library of Medicine’s MeSH vocabulary defines cystostomy as the “surgical creation of an opening (stoma) in the urinary bladder for drainage.” MeSH lists “Suprapubic Cystostomy” as an entry term under Cystostomy, so a suprapubic cystostomy is a form of cystostomy. Vesicostomy is also listed as an entry term for the same heading (MeSH, checked 2026-10-30).
The NHS describes a suprapubic catheter as a catheter inserted “through a small opening made in your lower tummy” (NHS, checked 2026-10-30). Putting the two sources together, the opening in the lower abdomen is the suprapubic cystostomy and the tube that sits in it is the suprapubic catheter. That last step is our reading of the two definitions, not a sentence either source states.
What a cystostomy is
Cystostomy means a surgically made opening in the bladder for drainage. It describes the opening (the stoma), not a particular product. The same word can therefore appear in a clinical note while the catalogue lists the tube by its device name.
Cystostomy suprapubic catheter, suprapubic cystostomy catheter
These word orders are used for the same pairing: a catheter that drains through a suprapubic cystostomy. MeSH records “Suprapubic Cystostomy” and “Cystostomy, Suprapubic” as entry terms, which shows the reversed word order is ordinary indexing usage.
Cystostomy vs suprapubic catheter
The comparison is between a procedure result (the opening) and a device (the tube). It is not a choice between two products. When a buyer or clinician says “cystostomy tube”, they are naming the tube by the opening it passes through.
What a suprapubic catheter is
The NHS defines a urinary catheter as “a flexible tube used to empty the bladder and collect urine in a drainage bag.” The suprapubic type reaches the bladder through the opening in the lower abdomen rather than through the urethra. The NHS adds that urinary catheters are usually inserted by a doctor or nurse (NHS, checked 2026-10-30).
For a catheter with a different design that has been described for suprapubic cystostomy, see CASRAI’s guide to the Malecot catheter.
Suprapubic vs urethral catheter at a glance
| Point | Suprapubic catheter | Urethral catheter |
|---|---|---|
| Route to the bladder | Through a small opening made in the lower tummy | Through the tube that carries urine out of the bladder (the urethra) |
| What it does | Empties the bladder into a drainage bag | Empties the bladder into a drainage bag |
| Who usually inserts it | A doctor or nurse | A doctor or nurse |
Source: NHS, “Urinary catheters”, nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-catheters, checked 2026-10-30. For the product-level comparison, see Foley catheter vs suprapubic catheter; the Foley catheter guide covers the urethral type most buyers know.
Who uses it
Clinicians who manage bladder drainage, and the staff who stock for them. For stocking context, see CASRAI’s drainage catheter stocking guide and urology clinic supply checklist. Catheter product ranges are listed under catheters.
Safe use and handling basics
The NHS states that the main problems caused by urinary catheters are infections in the urethra, bladder or, less commonly, the kidneys, and that the longer a catheter is used, the greater the risk of infection. CDC publishes a guideline with recommendations for the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CDC, checked 2026-10-30). CASRAI’s CAUTI guide explains the surveillance term. Insertion and care of an individual patient’s catheter belong to that patient’s clinical team and the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
Common mistakes
- Treating the terms as two competing products. One names the opening, the other the tube (our reading of the MeSH and NHS wording).
- Assuming “cystostomy” and “vesicostomy” are unrelated. MeSH lists vesicostomy as an entry term under Cystostomy.
- Mixing up the route. Suprapubic means through the lower tummy; urethral means through the urethra (NHS).
FAQ
Is a suprapubic catheter a cystostomy?
The catheter drains through a suprapubic cystostomy. MeSH defines cystostomy as a surgically created opening in the bladder for drainage and lists Suprapubic Cystostomy under it, while the NHS describes the suprapubic catheter as inserted through an opening in the lower tummy.
Is suprapubic catheter a cystostomy?
Same answer: the opening is the cystostomy and the tube is the catheter. The pairing is sometimes written “suprapubic cystostomy catheter”.
What is the difference between a suprapubic catheter and a cystostomy?
A cystostomy is the surgically made opening in the bladder. A suprapubic catheter is the flexible tube that empties the bladder into a drainage bag through that opening in the lower abdomen.
Sources
- U.S. National Library of Medicine, MeSH: Cystostomy (D003559), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/68003559, checked 2026-10-30.
- NHS, Urinary catheters, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-catheters/, checked 2026-10-30.
- CDC, Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection guideline, https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/hcp/cauti/index.html, checked 2026-10-30.
