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Ureteric Stent

What is a stent?

  • A stent is a hollow plastic tube that lies within your ureter (the passage connecting your bladder to your kidneys).
  • This internal tube is placed in your ureter to bypass a blockage caused by a stone, a narrowing of the ureter, swelling after an operation or a congenital condition.
  • The stent is held in place by coils at each end, which sit in the kidney and the bladder.
  • Unblocking the kidney prevents a build-up of pressure that causes pain and may damage the kidney.

Important information about your stent

  • Important note: your stent is temporary and cannot stay in permanently.
  • In most patients, the stent is required for a short time only—usually 4-6 weeks.
  • The stent is usually removed under local anaesthetic; an instrument is inserted into the bladder via your urethra and the stent gently removed while you are awake.

What to expect after your stent insertion

  • Most patients will be aware of their stent but will not experience any problems. Some patients may have moderate side effects and a few may experience more severe side effects. Most symptoms or side effects will decrease over time.
  • Symptoms or side effects may include:
    • Discomfort, irritation, pain or burning feeling when you pass urine. This may increase after strenuous activity.
    • Frequency—you may feel the need to pass urine more often.
    • Urgency—you may need to pass urine more urgently.
    • You may have a small amount of blood in the urine. This may increase after strenuous activity.
    • You may feel pain in the side (kidney pain) when passing urine.

Home care

  • Drink plenty of fluid. This will ease the discomfort caused by the stent.
  • Paracetamol may be used for pain relief (always follow dosing instructions on the label).

Seek advice from your doctor if:

  • you become unwell with fever, have pain around your kidney or bladder areas, or experience sever burning pain when passing urine
  • you have heavy or excessive blood in your urine, or you are passing clots
  • you are unable to pass urine.

Please note: If you have not been advised of your next appointment or follow up after your stent insertion at Mater, you must contact the Mater Hospital Brisbane Department of Urology—telephone 07 3163 3490 during business hours.

Mater acknowledges consumer consultation in the development of this patient information.
Mater Doc Num: PI-CLN-420052
Last modified 13/1/2017.
Consumers were consulted in the development of this patient information.
Last consumer engagement date: 04/1/2015
For further translated health information, you can visit healthtranslations.vic.gov.au/ supported by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services that offers a range of patient information in multiple languages.
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