There is a balloon about 1” diameter on the end that holds it in place. We made an EMS call years ago and the man met us at the door holding the end of the catheter with the balloon still inflated. He said he stepped on the line and pulled it out.
I still shudder today thinking about that.
Ugh. That made my stomach lurch just reading about it.
I am a man. I had one in after a kidney stone operation. It was a mess. On day two I had stalled bowel and I pressed down hard. The damn thing starting coming out. There I was, sitting in my bathroom with that damn catheter coming out. I felt like a magician pulling it out, and pulling it, and polling like knotted handkerchiefs out of my sleeve.
That damn thing coming out was the best feeling I had felt in a two week nightmare.