Coudé is a French word meaning bend or elbow. A coudé tip catheter has a slight bend at the insertion tip, and is also known as Tiemann.
Coudé tip catheters are designed for the male anatomy. The coudé tip can navigate the male urethral passage, which is shaped like a hockey stick, without causing trauma. It is also prescribed for use for patients with urethral stricture.
Sometimes what happens when the urethra gets scarred or when the prostate is pressing on the urethra causing restriction on the passage, there may be tight spots along the urethral passage way and the catheter will need to wind its way through.  A straight tip catheter may sometimes buckle where the coudé tip catheter will navigate the passage making it easier to enter into the bladder.
Coudé tip catheters have a marking or notch located at the other end of the catheter and when the marking/notch is facing up, the tip of the catheter is also facing up. It is important to remember that the catheter must remain in this position throughout the catheterization.
Ask your doctor or nurse before using coudé tip catheters to ensure you are using them correctly.