Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
A Texas catheter is the common name for an external male catheter, also called a condom catheter: a sheath-style device worn over the penis that channels urine into a collection bag, instead of a tube placed inside the urethra. It is for clinic staff, caregivers, buyers and students who need to know what the device is, where it sits among catheter types, how the FDA classifies it, and what CDC guidance says about when it is considered.
What a Texas catheter is
A Texas catheter does not enter the body. It is an external urine-collection device, so it carries urine away from the body but does not drain the bladder the way an indwelling or intermittent catheter does. In US federal regulation the closest named category is the “urosheath type incontinence device”, listed in 21 CFR 876.5250 among urine collectors “not intended to be connected to an indwelling catheter” (21 CFR 876.5250, Cornell LII, checked 2026-10-30). The regulation does not use the words “Texas” or “condom”; the match between those trade names and the regulatory term is common usage, not a regulatory definition.
Who uses it: clinic staff, caregivers and procurement teams who handle male external catheters; CDC’s guideline addresses their use for male patients.
How it differs from other catheters
| Device | Where it sits | Federal classification (21 CFR 876.5250) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urosheath-type incontinence device (the Texas or condom style) | Outside the body | Class I (general controls); exempt from 510(k) premarket notification, subject to the limitations in 21 CFR 876.9 | 876.5250(a)(2), (b)(2) |
| Paste-on device for incontinence | Outside the body | Same category as above | 876.5250(a)(2), (b)(2) |
| Leg bag for external use | Collection bag, external | Same category as above | 876.5250(a)(2), (b)(2) |
| Urine collector and accessories intended to connect to an indwelling catheter | Bag and tubing downstream of an indwelling catheter | Class II (special controls) | 876.5250(b)(1) |
For the internal types, see the CASRAI guides on urinary catheter types and the Foley catheter.
What CDC guidance says about external catheters
The CDC/HICPAC Guideline for Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (2009; CDC summary page dated March 25, 2024, checked 2026-10-30) addresses external catheters in these recommendations:
- I.B.1 (Category II): “Consider using external catheters as an alternative to indwelling urethral catheters in cooperative male patients” (the recommendation continues “without urinary retention or bladder outlet obstruction”).
- I.A.2 (Category IB): “Avoid use of urinary catheters in patients and nursing home residents for management of incontinence.”
- I.A.2.a (unresolved issue): “Further research is needed on periodic (e.g., nighttime) use of external catheters (e.g., condom catheters).”
- I.B.3 (Category II): “Intermittent catheterization is preferable to indwelling urethral or suprapubic catheters in patients” with bladder emptying dysfunction.
Read together, the guideline treats an external catheter as an option to consider in place of an indwelling catheter for cooperative male patients. It does not present an external device as a bladder-drainage method. For the infection-prevention background, see CAUTI.
How to choose
The selection criteria that CDC guidance states are the points above: whether the patient is male and cooperative, whether the purpose is an alternative to an indwelling catheter, and whether the problem is incontinence (external device) or bladder emptying dysfunction (where CDC prefers intermittent catheterization). Sizing, adhesive type, wear time and material choices come from each manufacturer’s instructions for use, so follow the IFU of the specific product. For the wider comparison of incontinence options, see the adult incontinence product selection guide.
Safe use and handling basics
- Follow the product’s instructions for use for application, removal and change intervals; they differ by manufacturer.
- Because CDC describes external catheters as an option to consider for cooperative male patients, whether one is appropriate for a particular person is a clinician’s assessment.
Common mistakes
- Treating it as a bladder-drainage catheter. It collects urine outside the body; CDC points to intermittent catheterization, not external devices, for bladder emptying dysfunction.
- Assuming nighttime or periodic use is settled. CDC lists this as an area needing further research.
- Using “catheter” products interchangeably. Under 21 CFR 876.5250 the external device and the indwelling-connected collector fall in different classes.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Texas catheter the same as a condom catheter?
In common usage, yes: both names are used for an external male catheter. Federal regulation uses a different term, “urosheath type incontinence device”, and the CDC guideline says “external catheters (e.g., condom catheters)”.
Is a Texas catheter an indwelling catheter?
No. It is worn externally and is regulated under the category of urine collectors not intended to connect to an indwelling catheter.
How is it regulated by the FDA?
Urosheath-type devices are Class I (general controls) and exempt from 510(k) premarket notification, subject to the limitations in 21 CFR 876.9. Collectors intended to connect to an indwelling catheter are Class II.
Can it be used in place of an indwelling catheter?
CDC says to “consider” it as an alternative in cooperative male patients (Category II). Whether it suits a given person is a clinician’s decision.
Sources
- CDC, Guideline for Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (2009), Summary of Recommendations: cdc.gov (page dated March 25, 2024; checked 2026-10-30).
- 21 CFR 876.5250, Urine collector and accessories: law.cornell.edu (checked 2026-10-30).
Related supplies: external catheters.
