Having a stent

Ureteric stents are long narrow tubes (like a straw) that are inserted and run between the kidney and the bladder. They work to ensure the kidney can drain and is not obstructed. They are inserted in various circumstances:

1. In an emergency due to obstruction, often from a stone causing severe pain or infection

2. After surgery to protect the kidney, let swelling settle down and widen the ureter pipe

3. Before surgery if the ureter is too tight to let the ureteroscope pass. This widens the ureter allowing the ureteroscope to pass at a future attempt

4. In some cancer situations where there is blockage to the kidney. These maybe long-term and need changing every few months.

Stents are usually inserted under general anaesthesia and done via the bladder. X-rays are taken at the time to check placement.

While stents are often necessary, it is important to ensure they are not left in longer than needed. Stents cannot stay in forever and must be removed or changed in a timely way. You will be advised on this. In cancer patients, stents are often changed every 6 months; but in stone patients the aim is to limit the time of the stent because of the risk of blockage or stone forming on the stent (encrustation) preventing its future removal.

Whilst stents are required to protect the kidney, they can also cause a number of symptoms. Some patients experience very few side-effects whilst others experience much more severe symptoms. Common side-effects of stents are:

1. Discomfort in the bladder region

2. Intermittent blood in the urine

3. Need to pass urine more frequently and urgently

4. Discomfort in the kidney when passing urine (as urine is also able to go up the stent when the bladder contracts)

Simple pain-killers are often all that is needed and often these symptoms do settle over time. Exercise can exacerbate the symptoms as the stent can move and rub in the bladder. It is important to remain hydrated at all times to flush out the kidney, prevent infection and dilute any bleeding.

If the stone has been treated, stents are usually removed in the outpatient clinic using a small flexible telescope (flexible cystoscope).

The EAU patient information team have produced a webpage with more information on ureteric stents and also a video (embedded below) demonstrating the treatment.