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This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
A urimeter (also written urine meter) is a closed urine-collection device with a small, finely graduated measuring chamber that sits above a larger bag, so staff can read urine output hour by hour from a catheterised patient. It is used by healthcare professionals, mainly where hourly output is monitored, such as intensive care.
What a urimeter is
A urimeter combines two jobs in one drainage set: a small chamber that holds the most recent urine so it can be read against a printed scale, and an exchange (collection) bag that receives the urine once the reading has been noted. Medline describes its UROSID M5 as a class I sterile medical device with a measurement function, intended for healthcare professionals. Vygon lists its Urimeter 500 plus as an hourly urine output measuring unit, with the indication of measuring urine output in intensive-care patients.
It is not the same as a plain urinary drainage bag, which collects urine without a read-out chamber, and it is not a catheter: the catheter is inserted separately (see what is a Foley catheter) and the urimeter is the drainage part that connects to it. A Foley tray is an insertion kit, so it is a different product from the urine meter.
How the chamber and exchange bag work
Per Medline’s instructions for use, urine collects in the measuring chamber, where it is read on the chamber scale. To clear the chamber, the user opens the dark-blue valve on top of the chamber completely so the urine drains into the exchange bag below, then closes that valve completely so the chamber can continue to monitor new urine. The device is hung with the bed hanger in a vertical position near the end of the bed, with no kinks or loops in the tubing. The Medline set has a needleless sample port, and the Vygon unit has a sampling point at the catheter connection.
Types and variants
| Variant | Manufacturer detail | Key difference |
|---|---|---|
| Medline UROSID M5, exchange bag with drain valve | The exchange bag can be emptied through a drain valve (Medline IFU ML1432, 11/2023). | The bag is emptied and the drain valve closed and re-housed afterwards. |
| Medline UROSID M5, exchange bag without drain valve | The bag must be replaced once it is filled to capacity (same IFU). | No emptying; the full bag is exchanged. |
| Vygon Urimeter 500 plus | Hourly urine output measuring unit supplied with a fixed, emptiable urine bag and a sampling point at the urethral catheter connection (Vygon product page). | The bag is fixed to the unit and emptiable. |
Chamber and bag specifications
| Specification | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Measuring chamber volume | 500 mL | Medline UROSID M5; Vygon Urimeter 500 plus |
| Exchange bag volume | 2,000 mL | Medline UROSID M5 (refs 690500-N and 690501-N) |
| Tubing length | 150 cm | Medline UROSID M5 |
| Scale graduations | 1 mL steps from 3 to 40 mL; 5 mL steps from 40 to 100 mL; 10 mL steps from 100 to 500 mL | Vygon Urimeter 500 plus |
| Pack size | 10 units per box for both products; exchange bags alone are 50 per box | Medline; Vygon |
The graduations show why a urimeter suits hourly work: the finest steps sit at the low end of the scale, where hourly volumes are small.
Choosing between variants
The manufacturer documents distinguish the variants only by the exchange bag: the valve version lets the exchange bag be emptied, while the no-valve version requires replacing the bag when full (Medline). For a wider view of catheter types, see the urinary catheter types guide and the urology clinic supply checklist.
Safe use and handling basics
- The CDC/HICPAC guideline recommends keeping a closed drainage system after aseptic catheter insertion (Category IB).
- It also says to keep the catheter and collecting tube free from kinking, and to keep the collecting bag below the level of the bladder at all times without resting it on the floor (Category IB).
- Medline’s instructions say to hang the device vertically near the end of the bed with no kinks or loops in the tubing, and to close the dark-blue chamber valve completely after draining so the chamber keeps monitoring.
Follow the instructions for use supplied with the product and your facility’s protocols.
Common mistakes
- Leaving kinks or loops in the tubing; both the Medline instructions and the CDC guideline call for tubing free of kinks.
- Letting the bag rest on the floor or sit above bladder level (CDC).
- Not closing the chamber valve completely after draining, which the Medline instructions require so the chamber can keep monitoring.
- Forgetting to close and re-house the drain valve after emptying the exchange bag (Medline).
Urimeter vs urinometer vs drainage bag vs Foley tray
| Term | What it is |
|---|---|
| Urimeter / urine meter | Drainage set with a graduated chamber for hourly output readings, plus an exchange bag. |
| Urinometer | A different device: a hydrometer for urine specific gravity, not a drainage product. |
| Urinary drainage bag | Collects urine without a read-out chamber; see what is a urinary drainage bag. |
| Foley tray | An insertion kit for a Foley catheter, not the drainage part; see what is a Foley catheter. |
Supplies in this category are listed under Catheters, Urology & Incontinence.
Frequently asked questions
What is a urimeter?
A closed urine-collection set with a graduated measuring chamber above an exchange bag, used by healthcare professionals to read urine output hour by hour (Medline UROSID M5; Vygon Urimeter 500 plus).
How big is the measuring chamber?
500 mL on both the Medline and Vygon products; the Medline exchange bag holds 2,000 mL.
Is a urinometer the same as a urimeter?
No. A urinometer is a hydrometer for urine specific gravity, not a drainage product.
Is a Foley tray the same as a urine meter?
No. A Foley tray is an insertion kit; the urine meter is the drainage part. See urine collection kit for related supplies.
Sources
All sources checked 30 October 2026.
- Medline, UROSID M5 Urine Meter with Exchange Bag, user guidelines ML1432_EN, 11/2023: https://assets.medline.eu/Docs/Products/BRO_Urosid_M5_Instructions_for_Use_ML1432_EN_Nov_2023.pdf
- Vygon, Urimeter 500 plus product page: https://be.vygon.com/nl/producten/urologie/uurlijkse-diurese/urimeter-500-plus
- CDC/HICPAC, Guideline for Prevention of Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (2009; last update June 6, 2019): https://www.cdc.gov/infection-control/media/pdfs/Guideline-CAUTI-H.pdf
