Knowledge For Ureteral Stents

A ureteral stent is a small plastic tube placed inside the ureter to help urine (pee) pass from a kidney into the bladder. A child may need a ureteral (yuh-REET-eh-rul) stent: after surgery to keep the urine pathway open.

If the ureter is narrow or blocked.

Your ureters are tubes inside your body that drain urine (pee) from your kidneys to your bladder. If one of your ureters is blocked, your urine won’t drain properly. When this happens, your kidney fills with urine and swells. This is called hydronephrosis. It can be caused by a tumor pushing on your ureter, kidney stones, or scar tissue. If your kidney remains blocked for a long period of time, it can become damaged. If both of your ureters are blocked, this will cause both of your kidneys to become weak and can place you at risk for kidney failure. Blocked kidney(s) require ureteral stent placement.

A ureteral stent is a thin tube that’s placed in your ureter to help drain urine from your kidney. One end of the tube is inside your kidney and the other end is in your bladder.

Ureteral stents can be used for several weeks, months, or years. They’re used to:

● Let urine flow through your blocked ureter.
● Keep your ureter open.

On the day of your procedure, a nurse will place an intravenous (IV) line in one of your veins. You’ll get fluids through your IV. You’ll also get medication to help make you more comfortable during your procedure.

To place the stent, your healthcare provider will first insert a cystoscope (thin, metallic tube with a camera) through your urethra (the small tube that carries urine from your bladder to outside your body) and into your bladder. They’ll use the cystoscope to find the opening where your ureter connects to your bladder. Once they can see this opening, your healthcare provider will thread a ureteral stent through the cystoscope and into your ureter. After the stent is in place, the cystoscope will be removed.