What is a stent?

The stent is a tube placed between the kidney & bladder through the ureter to

• Deobstruct the kidney& help it drain better
• Support any anastomosis, if done

 

What should I expect with a stent in place?

• Strange sensation / pain on the side you have the stent, when you pass urine, but usually resolves in 24-48 hrs.
• Increased frequency of urination but usually resolves in 24-48 hrs.
• Maybe pain at the start / end of the act of passing urine
• Occasionally blood in urine.

Dose the stent needs to come out?

• Yes, all stents need to come out, the duration is decided by your treating urologist, usually all stents are removed within 1- 6 weeks
• In cases where stents have to be kept for longer periods it needs to be changed as decided by your urologist.
• Forgotten / long standing unchanged stents carry a high risk of stone formation on the stent, recurrent urinary infection, fragmentation of the stent; consult your urologist as soon as possible if you have a long standing stent.

 

How will you remove the stent?

• Most of the stents are removed under local anesthesia using flexible endoscopy, using the normal body passages.
• You need to be admitted for a few hrs in the Day Care if it is just a stent removal. If we anticipate a secondary procedure then probably you will be in for a day.
• If you are not comfortable with the idea of being awake & aware of the surroundings it can be also done under general anesthesia
• Certain indication where we need to have a re-look in the ureter / check the passage or do a secondary procedure, the stent removal is done under GA.

 

What happens after DJ stent removal?

• If the removal is done under LA then you are fit to go home immediately post procedure, but if done under GA then probably you need to be in till you are till you are stabilized (usually by 4 hrs after removal)
• You will experience some burning / pain / discomfort / passage of blood in urine while passing urine after stent removal. This is because of the instrumentation of the urinary passage; and it generally resolves after 3-4 voids.

 

What should I be aware of post procedure?

If you are unable to pass urine or start passing tomato sauce colored urine / clots post procedure or have high fever within 24-48 hrs of the procedure, you need to urgently contact the treating urologist / emergency/urology helpline (9560398928).