Ureteral Stent Placement

Overview

This is a procedure to put a thin, soft tube called a stent into one of your ureters. Ureters carry urine from your kidneys to your bladder. The stent will help hold your ureter open. That helps your urine flow properly.

Preparation

To begin, you're given medicine to relax you or to put you to sleep. The doctor inserts a device called a "cystoscope" into your urethra (that's the tube urine flows through when you pee). The cystoscope is a thin device with a lighted camera that can see inside your bladder. The cystoscope is pushed through your urethra and into your bladder.

Placing the Stent

A guidewire is pushed through a channel in the cystoscope and into the opening of the ureter. The wire is pushed up through the ureter to your kidney. The doctor uses a video x-ray device called a fluoroscope to make sure the wire is placed correctly. Contrast dye may be injected so your doctor can see the wire more easily. Then, the stent is slipped onto the wire. It's pushed up into the kidney. When the wire is removed, the stent remains. Soft coils at the ends of the stent hold it in place in your ureter.

End of Procedure

When the procedure is done, the cystoscope is removed. You may have a tiny string hanging out of your urethra. The string is attached to your stent. It will be used to pull out the stent when it's time to remove it.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.