Information for Patients

Ureteric stents are placed when there is an obstruction in the urinary drainage tract, and the urine cannot be transported to the bladder.  An obstruction may cause pressure behind the kidney, which, in turn, causes the kidney's function to suffer.

A ureteric stent is a specially designed hollow tube made of flexible plastic that is placed in the ureter.  There are different lengths, and the one most appropriate for you will be chosen by the radiologist. 

Ureteric stents make a channel for the urine to pass and allows the kidneys to drain. 

You will be admitted to a ward prior to the treatment and may need to stay in hospital overnight.

You will be asked not to eat for about 4 hours before the procedure, although you may be allowed to drink water. 

If you are taking medicines such as blood thinners (warfarin, aspirin or clopidogrel), these may need to be altered around the time of your scan.  Contact your GP or please feel free to telephone us if you have any questions or concerns about your medications. 

The following investigation involves exposure to x-rays.  X-rays consist of a type of radiation known as ionising radiation.  The doses that are used in medical x-rays are very low and the associated risks are minimal.  We keep the doses as low as possible and make sure that the benefits of having the x-ray outweigh any risk. 

Furthermore, the contrast dye that is used contains iodine, which some people are allergic to.  If you have had an allergic reaction to x-ray contrast in the past of if you have a known allergy to iodine, please let us know. 

The contrast dye can affect kidney function, but a pre-procedure blood test will be performed to assess your kidneys' function.

It might be that the stent cannot be placed properly in the ureter. If this happens, a surgeon will arrange another method of overcoming the blockage. Occasionally there may be infection in the kidney or the space around it. This generally can be satisfactorily treated with antibiotics.

On the ward, a cannula will be placed in your arm and you will receive some antibiotics.  You may also receive some mild sedation at this time. 

You will be brought into the suite and will be positioned on the examination table on your stomach. The radiology team will be dressed in sterile gowns and gloves, and will proceed to put sterile towels over your back.

The radiologist will use the x-ray equipment to decide where it is best to insert the stent.  Once located, you will receive a local anaesthetic, which may sting, but this will pass quite quickly.

A guide-wire will be inserted into the kidney, and the hollow stent will be threaded onto the wire and put in place.  Once the radiologist is satisfied with the positioning of the stent, the guide-wire will be removed. 

The urine should then be able to pass down the stent and into the bladder.

The procedure can take anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes, but we typically tell our patients to expect that the procedure will take about 60 minutes.

You might experience some slight burning with urination or pass a small amount of blood following the procedure. There may also be a sense of needing to urinate even after the bladder is emptied, but that is normal. This feeling is likely due to the stent irritating the bladder, and if this is bothersome to you, ask your doctor for assistance.

You can eat and drink straight away. It is important to remember that the ureteric stent is not permanent and must be removed or changed in the future.