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Insertion Stent
What is
Insertion Stent?
A
ureteral stent is a thin, flexible tube threaded
into the ureter to help urine drain from the
kidney to the bladder or to an external
collection system.
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Effects
of Insertion Stent
A
stent is placed in the ureter in order to
temporarily relieve the obstruction. Normally, a
ureteral stent assures the patient of a free
flow of urine.
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Candidates for Insertion Stent
Ureteral stents may be used in patients with
active kidney infection or with diseased
bladders (e.g., as a result of cancer or
radiation therapy). Alternatively, ureteral
stents may be used during or after urinary tract
surgical procedures.
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Your Consultation
The
procedure should be thoroughly explained by a
medical professional before it takes place. The
patient will be asked to put on a hospital gown.
If the procedure is performed with the aid of a
cytoscope, the patient will assume a position
that is typically used in a gynecological exam.
Your stent is put in by a urologist. Before your
stent is put in, your doctor will order x-rays
or other imaging tests of your kidneys and
ureters.
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The
Insertion Stent Procedure
During the procedure, you are given anesthesia
to keep you comfortable. Then you doctors
inserts a specially lighted telescope called a
cystoscope into your bladder. This cystoscope
allows your urologist to see the entrance of the
ureter into the bladder. A thin wire is
carefully threaded up the ureter and the stent
is inserted over the wire. At the end, the wire
is removed.
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Recovery
Stents
must be periodically replaced to prevent
fractures within the catheter wall, or buildup
of encrustation. Stent replacement is
recommended approximately every six months or
more often in patients who form stones.
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Risks
A ureteral stent
may give you a feeling of urinary urgency or
increased urinary frequency. Some patients
notice occasional back discomfort at times
during voiding. There may also be blood in the
urine. These symptoms may be annoying, but they
are not harmful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
What is a ureteral stent?
A:
Ureteral stents are thin catheters threaded into
segments of the ureter that carry urine,
produced by the kidney, either down into the
bladder internally, or to an external collection
system. Insertion is most often done through the
skin (percutaneously); however, in the presence
of kidney or ureteral stones, stenting is
ideally done during cystoscopy.
Q:
What is the purpose of a ureteral stent?
A:
The ureter is the tube that drains urine from
the kidney to the bladder. After some
procedures, the ureter may become swollen. To
prevent obstruction in the area of swelling, the
urologist has placed a stent in your ureter.
This is a non-reactive material that is much
like a long, spaghetti sized straw with multiple
holes throughout its length. The stent is
positioned between the kidney and bladder and
provides drainage from the kidney to the
bladder.
Q:
When is a ureteral stent used?
A:
A ureteral stent is used to bypass a blockage in
the kidney or ureter. It can also be used during
treatment to remove a kidney stone or to let a
ureter heal after surgery. The stent allows
urine to drain normally into the bladder. It is
most often taken out after the blockage has been
removed or the ureter has healed. If a stent is
needed for a long time, it will be changed
frequently.
Q:
What will happen when I have a stent?
A:
While the stent is in place, you might feel some
discomfort. Certain movements might trigger pain
or the feeling that you have to urinate. You may
also be given some medicines to alleviate the
pain or bladder spasms. While you have your
stent, drink plenty of fluids. You may notice
that your urine may turn slightly pink or red
occasionally. You may also feel some pressure
when your bladder is full or you have the urge
to urinate. These symptoms should be all
resolved after the stent is removed.
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The following list of Urology procedures are
performed at Beverly Hills Medical Group -
please click the links to find out more:
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