Terms starting with U

Unique Device Identifier

A standardised identifier under EU Medical Devices Regulation and US FDA rules that identifies a medical device at the model and production-unit level. The UDI enables device recall, post-market surveillance, and patient-level traceability.

In medical tourism: The UDI should appear on the implant passport for any device covered by UDI requirements. Patients receiving implants should ask whether the implant has a UDI, where it will appear in their records, and how it will be reported to the relevant national registry.

Urinary Catheter

A flexible tube inserted into the bladder to drain urine, used intra-operatively for monitoring, post-operatively in patients with restricted mobility, or longer-term in selected patients with neurogenic bladder. Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) risk rises with each day of catheter use; modern protocols emphasise early removal.