What is a stent?
Ureteral stents are soft, hollow, plastic tubes placed temporarily into the ureter to allow drainage around a stone or to speed healing after a stone surgery
When are they needed?
Stents are used for various reasons in patients with kidney stones. They may be placed in patients to help reduce pain from a stone, when infection is present to allow drainage, or when a stone is preventing a kidney from working adequately. Stents are also commonly placed after surgeries for stones, as in ureteroscopy, to allow healing and prevent swelling of the ureter.
How is a stent placed?
Stents are placed during surgery by sliding them over a soft “guidewire” which is placed up the ureter, which is the tube draining the kidney. See a video below of a stent being placed.
How is a stent removed?
Stents can be removed in two different ways. Sometimes, a string is left attached to the end of the stent. This string is allowed to come out of the patient’s urethra, the tube where he or she urinates. The string can be used to pull on the stent and remove it. In cases where a string is not left attached, a small camera called a cystoscope is inserted into the patient’s urethra after numbing medication has usually been administered. The cystoscope is then advanced into the bladder and the stent is grasped with an instrument and removed. See our post on stent removal for a video and more details.
How long can a stent stay in?
In general, most stents should only remain in for no longer than 3 or so months. If a stent is left in too long, it can form stones directly on it, making removal difficult.
What are the symptoms of having a stent?
While some patients with stents have minimal discomfort related to them, other patients will report symptoms that can range from being annoying to being severe enough that the stent has to be removed. These symptoms can include:
- Sensation of needing to urinate
- Seeing blood in the urine
- Bladder spasms
- Burning sensation during urination
- Pain in the back during urination or when moving
- Pain in the bladder
Is there anything that can help reduce the discomfort of a stent?
Different medications may be given to help reduce the discomfort of a stent. The most effective appears to be those from the alpha blocker class of medications including tamsulosin (Flomax) and Alfuzosin (Uroxatral). Other types of medications commonly given for stent discomfort, such as oxybutynin (Ditropan) or phenazopyridine (Pyridium), do not appear to be successful at reducing stent related discomfort in placebo controlled studies. Traditional pain medications are also less successful at reducing stent discomfort.
Hasn’t anyone come up with a better stent?
Research into improving stent designs will hopefully reduce the discomfort associated with them. Innovative stent designs currently being tested include stents embedded with medications to reduce discomfort and stents that dissolve by themselves.
got a 4 mm stone and as they could not get to it a stent has been inserted. Had all the same symptoms as above so much so that was afraid to urinate because of the pain.
Got to go through the op again in a bout 3 weeks to remove the stone so do not know at this stage how long stent will be in. Constant discomfort around the area of the stent
Any suggestion for me please.is it possible to remove the stent with stones in the kidney and my kidney is only 17% functioning?.I had my stent last December till now.I was scheduled for nephrectomy but I refused.I got second opinion and the doctor told me it is not yet necessarily to do nephrectomy.so I came back with with the first doctor & told him to remove the stent but he told me he can’t because there is stone.and it will soon cause problems for me..I didn’t asked what will be the problems coz I’m afraid to hear.please advise..
I recently had Stent placement for a 4 CM staghorn kidney stone. And yes I said Cm not Mm. I am lucky to have a functioning kidney as this stone encompassed my entire renal cavity. The Stent has been the most miserable thing I’ve had to live with. The pain has robed me of activities of daily living. It is nearly impossible to ambulate without pain.The urge to urinate ,urinary, frequency and burning will leave you beside yourself. I obtained relief with the medication Vesacare. Pain medication only takes the edge off. I only find comfort lying in a particular position. I have been on a leave of absence from work as a Nurse due to pain.I’m scheduled for a Stent exchange this week and PCNL to remove remaining stone fragments. You are not alone.
good luck with your surgery. I just had pcnl to remove a 12 cm stone. The dr was able to get all but 10 mm so i have another procedure Friday. I hate my stent as well and can’t wait for it to be gone.
Can you still pass a 5mm stone with a stent in? It runs between my right kidney and bladder. The stone is in that kidney. This stent isslowly driving me mad. Constantly going to the toilet and burns at the end of the flow. Pain in the back when i urinate.Cant get proper rest and have to go work tomorrow. My total thought for tomorrow is where do i find a bathroom. My surgery date is still 16 days away. I wish the hospital had given me something to help it pass instead of jumping to inserting this stent. If l had known the pain and other issues that the stent would cause me, i would have passed on it and toughed it out to surgery date. I also might have passed the stone. Also, after the surgery dste they want to leave it in for a period of time. The stent insertion and removal is done by a cystotomy procedure. I know Im alittle jaded right now but im thinking this may be a cah grab. Three procedures done by the same doctor instead of letting stone on its own. I hope im wrong and its just the stent pain talking
im due to have 1 removed soon , ive had it in for atleast 3 years haha nobody even knew it was there or when it was put in ,now i understand why a GA its probably crusted in there.
Just some advice, the stent is really a shunt. It moves the pain-causing urine from
the kidney to the bladder. If the shunt is empty, you are not drinking enough water.
This particularly true first thing in the morning. So drink a lot, even during the night.
As much as you can, and a big quantity of water when you get up. Half a gallon if
possible. Keep the shunt full. I have had one in for two days, and the pain is severe
before the shunt begins its job of draining the kidney. First pee of the day dark.
Keep the water going in, take your Flo-Max. Rest of the day, pee clear and I’m drinking
8 oz of water every half hour. Keep the shunt full and working!
No pain, had uti, scan found two stones which needed removal. After three months wait, still no pain had the op. Still got the infection but catch 22, infection and stones still had op. The after op, tacicardic, temp BP etc all over the place, I thought I would die. Pain in lower bladder with stent in is constant. Op 29 March and I get the stent to on 3 May. I have been in discomfort all the time. If not urination sudden bowel movements. Antibiotics still not clearing the infection. I am either laid down, in the loo or in the bath to ease the pain. Roll on MAY.
I had stent removal yesterday. It is only op procedure and doesn’t cause any pain.
so don’t get annoyed. You can be back to normal on the next minuite.
I get mine out Friday morning and will have had it in for almost 2 weeks. For the most part it hasn’t been that bad, just a lot of the time it feels like I constantly have to pee. It’s worse when I do any physical activity, which I can’t really avoid. I did have a few flare-ups where my side hurt, though not as bad as when the stone was trying to pass. Thinking if I get another one I’ll ask about extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (where they use sound waves to break it up inside you).
I had a surgery in 2009 been in pain and weak since then about to lose job due to too much time off last Friday I felt a strange item through the skin on my pelvic bone it felt like the curly part of a safety pin I checked the web for what it could be and I seen a j stent used in the ureter. I remembered when I got home after surgery there was a string hanging out of my penis I removed the string and went back to the doctor for a follow up on the surgery he asked about the string I replied I took it out he said OK we had a little problem but don’t worry about it and released me from care. I just pulled the tread out not the stent I called his office yesterday and he is retired I am to see an associate if his I am to get a ct scan and maybe they will see the stent and take it out my fault for seeing the Doctor alone and not being clear on what events took place. I am hoping this will solve my pain and weakness and other issues I am having. Thank You all for listing to this I know what you are going through.
Wow!! God bless your heart, Robert. I hope that you get the stent out soon! You are a real trooper! I mean REAL trooper! Hang in there and never give up!
Jude
The doctor told me I’d be a little sore for the first night or two then I would be fine. He said I could get back to normal activities right away and take care of my boys that are 1 and 3 with no problems. Ugh that was all a lie. I had this stupid thing put in Friday and won’t be taken out till maybe this Friday. I have a 12mm and I’d much rather just pass that than deal with the stent. I can hardly walk let lone bend over and pick up my son. The pain meds suck unless I take 3 at a time then I get in such a deep sleep I dribble pee on the bed. The doctor had no clue what he was talking about. I’d rather have 5 more pregnancies and no epidural than deal with this.
Oh my goodness im with u on that had one put in yesterday and im in pain no meds are helping i c!nt walk..id rather live in the bathroom have to pee every 30 seconds keep possing blood..ahhhh
I agree highly with the both of you . I just got one put in two days ago and it is driving me crazy it hurts really bad and I don’t hurt as bad as it was before I went to the hospital but like you said pain meds didn’t help just knock the edge off I just would like the pain to know something to numb it and then that way it wouldn’t hurt as bad like when you when we pee those pills they give you to numb when you have a kidney infection I asked about those they just said that just take Azo pills
This is one club that I absolutely didn’t want to join! This stent is unbelievably painful. I’m on day 5 and, tonight, just getting relief. Forget the $&@!# narcotics. It doesn’t take care of the pain, but does ease it a tad. Like a lot of you, my heating pad and super hot baths gave me a little bit of relief. I’ve been taking prescription Motrin 800 mgs. Percocet or norco didn’t touch it. I have NO fear in having mine removed in the Dr’s office in 3 days, 18 hours, and 30 min! I just want it out now!! And, yes, Doc said I could go back to work the next day after placing the stent! Bull!! Wait till I see his happy a**! I called docs office on Friday pleading that I wanted this out now! I mean, it was an emergency, right?? Called 3 times and they said that they would talk to doc and then call be back! I waited all day long! First call was at 8:01 am. Never again!
God help us all! Good luck to those that are suffering.
Please do all your research. I thought that I did!
Yep, water is my bff (again)!
Jude
Sensation of needing to urinate
Seeing blood in the urine
Bladder spasms
Burning sensation during urination
Pain in the back during urination or when moving
Pain in the bladder
I have all the above
when I walk my dog which is daily always have to urinate every 700m my urine changes from normal to light red ..pain in front and lower back. .I got my stent 1st Feb!! I can’t wait for it to be removed ! Lately I drank some lemon and grapefruit, later on my urine was redder than my previous billion ) does a citrus have a effect I wonder ? The above symptoms are more than , I have a pain barrier as long I don’t die I’ll tough it out ,they better call me back soon to remove it ..maybe I’m still passing a stone since then every 3 weeks or so I get shape pain crap like down near my bladder I think.. I have to talk
I take solpadol when I get them sharp cramps as today I’m going through a lot of pain even with meds. .
my situation same like you i had the stent last 2 weeks and i’am suffering a lots may in 3 weeks i got a appointment to remove the stent am so scare its was very painful there is some one already removed the stent please lets me know about the pain and how the removed it ?
Oh my gosh I’m so glad I found this blog I’ve had a 22 to 23 mm stag horn callus went in 2 weeks ago and they couldn’t get it all out so now I’m waiting on surgery to get the rest but I’ve had the stent and for this two weeks it has been living hell I am bed bound from the pain then I read it your comments and the last person said something about Valium I got some of this from my mother-in-law last night what’s the first night that I’ve slept through without waking up in labor type hell I’m so thankful I found this blog good luck with everybody’s Wellness
I had a 3mm stone removed then stent inserted. I am not the crying type but the pain was so intense that I cried like a baby the first night. Not to mention the pain from constipation. Double whammy. The oxycodone didn’t help and kept me locked up. Best advice, heavy duty pain killers and magnesium citrate.
I get my stent out Monday 4/18 which will be done by a scope. It just keeps getting better!
Good luck everyone!
Well, I have had a few operations including Gall Bladder, Appendix, Hysterectomy, Ovaries removal, Tonsils,Miscarriages,Three Children and no Epidurals just gas,Bladder Tuck.I would prefer to go through all of these again with the exception of the Gall Bladder pain. My Stone is 7mm in the Ureter so I dont consider it to be a big one.I do have a stent insitu and I have to have it in for 4 to 5 weeks. The pain I have been experiencing is a 6 out of 10 and mostly when I pass urine is unmanageable.No pain medication seems to work, and this includes Morphine, Pethidine, Tramadol,Oxycontin, and all the rest of them.One day, the Medical profession will come into the 20th Centuary, until then we will suffer needlessley
Just had a STENT done on Monday……I was NEVER told How PAINFUL this would be….The pain is more severe than the STONE…..Went back to hospital today to try and have it removed…They would not do it. PEEING is Crippling everytime and I have to sit…I am a MALE. No Dose of any Pain medication can ease this severe PAIN!! They told me I have to keep it in for two weeks!!! THEY TOLD ME!!! I am 6’1 285 and they give me 30 Hydrocodine Pills 5-325…..A BABY ASPRIN to me….Really at odds at what to do next…….I would rather have the stones than this STENT….Do not wish this on anyone!!! Or would NEVER ADVISE anyone to get this. Doctor told me just a little discomfort for 1 or 2 days and bleeding will clear up….WHAT A LIE!!! Now 5 Days Later and in MORE PAIN than when I went in!!!!!!!! Any Advise…Possibly an ATTORNEY?????
My situation is a little different. I had to have one of my ureters moved because it was damaged. I have had my stent for 5 weeks. I get it out in a week. Can I expect immediate relief, or does it still have to heal from having the stent? I am so exhausted from being in pain for so long. All of you are right, there really is no pain medication that helps. Good luck to you all!
I had my ureter stent put in last Thursday and it won’t come out until this Thursday. This is sheer hell. The pain is constant and it hurts to urinate. Plus, I never feel emptied as if I have to urinate constantly. I am cramping and my stomach is in horrible pain. Obviously, the author of “stent side effects” is clueless! This is the longest week I’ve ever had in pain! Thursday can not come soon enough! There has to be some other medical way to address this! Not ready for the marathon that my doc said I could run with this in! What the heck was he thinking! He obviously has never had to go through this ordeal!
I HEAR YOU , I HAVE ALSO HAD A STENT IN FOR 2 WEEKS . WAS TOLD I COULD RUN. AND DO ALL MY NORMAL EXERCISE. ONLY IF I WANT TO BE IN PAIN AND BLEED FOR SEVERAL HOURS. PLUS THE FACT THAT I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO URINATE THE ENTIRE RUN UNFORTUNATLY I THINK THE ANSWER IS TO NOT RUN.
I have a 10 mm stone. They put a stent in and will not take out the stone for 2 weeks. I am hoping they can blast it and tak e it out but not sure why they didn’t do it right away. Stent doesn’t bother but feeling bloaty. Is that normal?
I found out this morning I have another stone that has moved into my uerter tube 6 mm. I have had many Stent in the past as I am a kidney stone maker. So when I heard in the ER that they wanted to put in another stent, I cried! ! OMG, the pain has always been just as bad as the stone. However after the Dr explained why I needed one I consented with the promise from the Dr that he would pull it out ASAP if I could not tolerate it. Much to my surprise, so far so good! It has been 10 hrs and and the pain is not the way it has been in the past. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers that all continues to go smoothly. I feel for all of you with the pain. Hang in there.
I just found out i have a 1.5 CM stone . The doc put a stent in, he says it will be in for 3 weeks before he’s able to blast the stone..then a cysoscopy(?) And possibly another blast!! I’ve never experienced any of this..the last stone i passed was 5mm (no pain). I pass stones often with only a bit of blood.(by the grace of god) all pain free… i feel for everyone who experiences this awful pain! Good luck to you.
Oh I am so glad I am not the only one who has experienced pain from a Stent. I had one put on yesterday because my left tube was blocked and it has to stay there for a month. This thing hurts so bad and I swear it hurts worse than labor. I’m hoping the doctor can call me in some nausea medication and a stronger pain medicine because oxybutnin isn’t working.
I’m right there with you. I had mine out in April 8th and I am in the worst pain, the stent hurts more than the stone did! The oxybutin isn’t helping at all. In the hospital they were pumping me with morphine for pain and then they discharged be with no pain meds at all. I had to call the dr that did the procedure to even give me the oxybutin ? I’m currently searching for a new doctor because I want this thing out, the dr in the hospital didn’t even do X-rays or ct scans to even see if there was one in the tube he was just assuming!!! I feel like dying
My Kidney pain started all at once at 3am,I took a guess that it was a Kidney stone and suffered for 3 days before I had my wife drive me to emergency,to my surprise no Kidney stone but some sort of a blockage.I went to a larger facility after running a battery of test they could not identify what the blockage is.One thought is scar tissue from the radiation because I have Prostate cancer.A Stent was placed but removed the next day so a scope could be used but still no answer,this was followed by another Stent that is still there.And the comments about pain is so very very true.I am thankful for the relief.
My doc has been following a small kidney stone in my rt. kidney(not sure how big) My left kidney was removedin 2006 due to cancer in kidney. Luckily there has been no spread of CA so it was confined to that kidney. now we must be vigilant with my remaining kidney. Thus the doc did a uretoscopy (sp) and was going to use a laser to zap the stone, then put in a stent afterwards. So Tuesday they did this but they could not find the stone ! Doc says it must have dissolved since jan. when they saw it on ultrasound. Put in a stent with string attached. It was mildly uncomfortable maybe 3/10 and this was a pleasant surprise after hearing some horror stories (and then reading these reports) It didn’t hurt when they removed it on Friday, except some mild cramping in bladder/kidney . However, that night around 10 Pm had episode of much worse cramping in bladder and kidney(flank pain) about 5/10 enough to keep me awake. I took the acetemophin with oxycodin and it worked, I slept and pain did not come back. until last night around the same time it returned. Wondering why ? I am on Tamulosin (Flomax) which I take after dinner. Has anyone every reacted to this drug with spasms ?
I will call my doc on monday to see why this is happening. It is the only real problem i have had with this procedure. I will do anything to prevent another stone…. drink water, avoid hi-oxalate foods, etc.
I forgot to mention in my above post that I accidently tugged the stent a tiny bit to the point to where it leaks urine down my leg. The doctors office wasnt worried about it.So now I have to wear adult diapers.
They said if I pull the stent out now there is a high probability that I could end up in the ER due to my ureter swelling shut and blocking off my kidney. I know he is right. And I know that if I pull it out now the health insurance could claim that I am non compliant and not pay my medical bills. So I’m stuck with it for now. I truly feel for those who have to wear it for weeks on end.
I keep reading things online describing the side affects of these stints as being mild. It makes me wanna grab the apparently brainless authors and dip them in a vat of burning acid to see how it feels.
This month I got my 1st kidney stone. 5mm. Had it for 2weeks and it only moved a small bit so they blasted it on Tuesday and put the stint in. This is Friday. They said I can pull the stint out on Monday.
The burning, spams, cramping and pain that these skinny little stints cause can be so sever that not even double dosing up on duladid pills helps.
Its so bad sometimes that I can’t even walk or stand up straight. I crawl. I have a potty chair by my bed for the times when I can’t walk to the potty.
The pain I had when the kidney stone was in my uerter trying to pass was mild compared to this.
This stint pain is comparable to child birth.
Its diabolical.
You’d think these days they’d have something that isn’t so terrible to endure.
I have chronic pancreatitis and diabetic gastropursis which are both very painful to endure. That’s why I was able to endure the kidney stone stuck in my uerter for 2 weeks but the pain and issues with this stint are worse! I’d almost rather die.
I agree never known pain like it I have to keep it in for a week God knows how the pain just goes right through me here r the pills am taking oramorghe codine paracetamol ibuprofen tramadol buscapan and I could quite easily take the whole lot at one I thought I would feel better not worse
I totally agree with you. In Feb I almost died from septic shock due to pyelonephritis. Come to find out on my second hospital admission that month I had a 7mm stone. In goes the stent. Instant pain ..since then lithotripsy and still no stone. I still have fevers and still fighting infection. My stomach is 3 times the size due to bladder swelling. Pain pills don’t help.. I want to die as well.. If I could pull this thing out I would. I don’t care if the stone is still there or not this thing is coming out this week, which I hear is its own kind of special hell. Good luck to you!!
My pain was just as bad with the stent. I had just an annoying pain before and thought I just had a kidney infection but found myself in surgery 2 hours later because the stone was too big to pass & in my kidney.
I have had 7 children & the pain I felt a couple hours after the stent was worse then giving birth. My doctor said that was not normal & he’s never seen it happen. Pain meds did not touch the pain & bottom my blood pressure out. He put me in Valume which was very effective. I do not feel great but I’m not dying. I took 2.5, so broke the does in half that he wanted me to take and he also had be take 1 Hydroconone with it! Good luck
I couldn’t have wrote it better, I have stent to help me pass a stone I have think I must be still trying to pass it .