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.
After my second unsuccessful ureteroscopy surgeon tells me they’re gonna try another procedure but I need a CT KUB scan and discuss the new procedure with the urologist, don’t worry we’ll call you to let you know! You fucking kidding me? I just called them to ask and will keep calling till they give me a date for my scan and procedure.
A Urologist makes their money removing kidney stones. Do a search online ” Do doctors lie to their patients ”
Drinking enough WATER per day, can flush them out before they get bigger.
Sweating too much, without replenishing the liquids can cause a stone to start forming that same day. Flush these particles out before they can form. I don,t know how much is too little & how much is too much to drink . If you can find an honest doctor ( and there are still some out there ) ask him/her how much you should or should not drink. Don’t drown on water but if you keep the stone moving in your urinary tract , you may pass it without even knowing it.
I have a 10mm stone in my left kidney, had a ureteroscopy procedure that unfortunately was unsuccessful due to having a narrow tube, had to wait 8 weeks to have surgery again, only to find out that the procedure has been unsuccessful again for the same reason before, they replaced the stent and sent me home, and now I’m in a lot of pain!!
I was diagnosed with a 16mm and 12mm stone, one in each kidney about two years ago and have had three lithotripsy surgeries so far to get the remnants of the first procedure. The first surgery I was left with two stents and it was hell for two weeks. Doc removed the stents in his office which has left me with spasms and pelvic floor issues ever since. The second time no stents, which was so much nicer but seems particles did not all pass. I had passed a few stones on my own after that but was rushed to ER last week with 7mm stone stuck halfway down ureter. Ended up with septic infection and dr placed stent to release urine and infection from that kidney. Still in extreme pain, no sign of the stone. With a stent how long will a 7mm stone take to pass? I’m guessing everything is still very inflamed. Anyone have bright orange urine? I was told at hospital it was not due to any meds. My infection got better and was released from hospital last night. But this stent has got to go! BTW, switching urologists.
Shelly,
Omg you poor thing! As I write this reply I am laying in a hospital bed recovering from PCNL. Later today is the tube removal and stent placement 😩I am sorry to hear of your bad experience. I hope I never have to go through this again. My doctor chose to have the Radiologist perform prior to surgery the access to the kidney. My bladder was spasming and it hurt so much afterwards. Now one day after surgery, he again is asking radiology to remove the neph tube and insert a bladder stent. I am dreading it!! The actual incision doesnt hurt much, but my bladder is killing me from all the tubes and the foley! I wish you a speedy recovery. You are not alone!!
Jennifer, I hope your procedure went well and you are beginning to feel much better. Unless you’ve been through this, people can’t understand the misery of it all. I went back to the hospital again yesterday and had the 7mm stone in my ureter as well as a 6mm in the kidney zapped. Dr placed new stent and I came home last night. So far not too much pain. Having stent removed on Monday. Praying it doesn’t start up the horrible spasms again. Hang in there!
How do you know if the infection has come back or whether it’s the stent or stone causing the problem? I have a 20mm stone stuck in my Ureter too. When the went to do operation, they saw I had an abscess on my kidney that had burst and had a serious infection. They said everything was covered in pus so they put a stent in. This was 2 weeks ago but last night, the same pain has came back in my waist, groin & back. I don’t know if it’s the stone or infection. Did your Doctor say why they can’t just remove stone, why do I have to wait 3 months, will the stone continue to grow? I’m terrified of going in again with that pain. I had stones 2 years ago but managed to pass them but Doctor said this one will never pass. Any advice?
When Stone was in my ureter dr said that caused the infection. They kept me in the hospital and placed a stent to release the infection. Finally after a week he could go back and do the stone. Feel better!
I have had a stent in left kidney four months. Still have pain in left side and feel sick all the time. Since my antibiotics finished I have had cold/flu symptoms.
Feel down and so worried especially as not making ends meet either.
I have a feeling there’s another stone.
Diet is mostly chicken and fish, and veg. I don’t drink or smoke. Just wish I knew what causes the stones. Increased consumption of water and tried to cut down on tea and coffee, that is hard. My kidney is 22% of function.
I have to work at my diet but not been much help with this as yet. It’s difficult not knowing the cause or type of stone.
Wish I had a friend feeling so alone.
I have had 6 episodes of kidney stones in the last 2 years they always get stuck in the same part of my ureter and need surgery to remove followed by the dreaded stent!
My last operation was in October the consultant told me due to all the procedures I have had to remove kidney stones in the same section of the ureter there is now a lot of scared tissue what they call a stricture.
I now have to get a major operation to remove part of the ureter that is damanged as this is stopping kidney from draining then they are moving my bladder up and re attaching the ureter. Has anyone else had this operation done?
My cousin had this done and she has not had a stone since. She was sore from the surgery but looking back she said it was the best procedure that she had done. I have the exact same track record as her. Soooo many stones and stents and the pain is unbearable. I may consider this very same thing. These stones are controlling my life. No matter what I do I can’t get rid of them. I have loss over 35 pounds did a complete life style change and it still is not working.
After surgery they put dj stent but after removing this stent. in my back side and front side there is too much pain i do not know why ?
I mean in my right kidney side
Uggh I so feel everyone’s pain, this is my second kidney stone operation in a year the first was on my left with a stent put in. This one the stone in my right was measured at 7.2 mm on the right and 4 4mm in my left. So this time I got the 2 for one deal.. The pain and bleeding is awful. Well the stones them self felt like in was gonna birth to triplets. And I have 3 grown kiddo and grand-twins. This time with two stents is pure Hell..I found out yesterday that I have what they call “Hpoparathyroidism. It is the cause of all the stone or cause of my kidney issues. So I have to go to a specialist to the it removed. Which is not till March. The stents come out on the 13th if my kidneys are clear. Hopefully the stones that he broke up don’t grow. I feel for each and every one. I just wanna go to the bathroom and make noices! Keep you beautiful head everyone!
I am so glad that I am not alone. This will be my third kidney stone removal surgery within an year. My first stone was 5.2cm, my second was 6.0cm and this one is 7.5cm. I had a stent placed the first two times and this time they placed a stent in first then I have to go back for second surgery to have the stent removed and the stone removed and then another stent placed in. I have had sooo much pain with every stent. This one is by far the worst, I don’t know why. I guess because I still have the stone in but, it is horrible. It hurts no matter what I do, how I sit or how I lay down. I wish that they could figure out a better way without using the stents. It was great to read all these comments, thanks everyone for sharing because now I know that there are others out there who know what its like.
Sorry I realized I put cm not mm.
I feel ll your pain, I’m 27 and past stone frequently just recently I’ve had a stent put in and was told it’s. 2.5cm not mm. I couldn’t believe at first but the ctscn proved me wrong. The pain is so unbearable
Glad to hear I am not alone. Had a Ureteroscopy 6 days ago but was never told about the stent/string I was to receive. First few days I kept thinking i felt a string when I wiped after urination but believed I dreamt it, not having been told prior to expect one. Took 5 days of constant peeing, sleep, some chills, and a constant dull thud in my lower back, making it hard to straighten up to walk, before I investigated on the web and discovered what this string was.
In my case I have a 3 month stent into my kidney attached to a urine bag on my leg as the stone was blocking urine and I lost one kidney during that process, unfortunately.
Having only one kidney left, I am trying my hardest to get through this, although i am not in great pain, rarely even reach for the Tylenol 3s I was given but just very uncomfortable. Unless this feeling improves, my life is on hold. I dont feel driven to leave the house, its uncomfortable to directly sit down as i believe the stent is just causing unnecessary pressure. Having a Nephrostomy stent, with the urine bag at least allows a secondary route of urine escape and by now all the blood has gone, it looks pretty normal in colour but I just feel as if I have a raging bladder infection which I understand is just the stent itself makes it feel. Am on antibiotics, 6th day of 10 (Macrobid) so am willing to give it 4 more days but if I still cannot sit properly by that day I hope to have it removed.
I was initially peeing like a racehorse the first 5 days and continuously thirsty for water but both have slowed down now although I would still not dare to leave the house having consumed any water at least 2 hours prior.
I’m now 28weeks pregnant. I had one stent put in 3 weeks ago and has to have that one exchanged for a smaller one. The first one and my body hated each other and I still felt like I was dying. This Smaller one… I’ve had for bout a week and half now and I went back in a few days ago and found out I’m dehydrated and I have a very sever bladder infection. The meds ain’t doing anything for me. Not the bladder spasms one or the tramadol for pain….. My hip, and area by bladder hurt. I can’t do anything but lay on my bed or couch. If I do anything else I’m in pain like no other. I am due April 28th and have to have this stent in till I deliver. I have had a fever now for 8days now straight with no break in the fever, I’m still not hardly eating nor drinking anything. Should I go back in?
The Dr said I didn’t have a stone though… He said because of all the organs and everything moving to make room for baby girl… That my urater is getting pinched off which is of course causing my kidney to not drain. That’s why the have the stent in.
I would go back, if you are running a fever. It’s not good for the baby (or you) to have a fever!
I feel your pain..I’ve a few nephrostomy tubes in and they are no joke..I’ve got a horseshoe kidney that loves creating kidney stones from the chronic infections I get..I currently have and I.V. in my arm so I can do at home infusions because these infections ate resistant to oral meds..nice knowing I’m not as alone as I thought I was
My kidney stones was on my left side on my urethra is 2.5CM and inside my kidney was 4CM on my left and on my right i also have 3 and 4mm but the urologist only put
Stent on my left and he only laster the one blocking my urethra next month he will do another part 2 surgery inside my kidney if he cannot go through from my urethra we will poke a tube on my back and thats where he will try to breaks the stone inside my kidney. Just after 2 weeks of surgey now it feels something coming out but nothing my ? Just sore is there any reason why???
Which I had those magic words to make it less painful and explain it but I can’t! I feel as though I am being violated. Take care!
I have a stent put it in my kidney coz i had a kidney stone laser surgery last Jan7th 2018 its blocking on my urethra. But after 2 weeks of my surgery now my urethra feels sore but when i pee no stones coming out but last week i had sex with condom with my gf is this bad? Am i not allowed to have sexual activity until the stent is out?
Now it feels something going to come out but nothing coming out just the feeling and half wat of my urethra is sore in the middle. What do u think is that stones trying to pass through or can the stent comeout itself???
talk to your doctor! I passed very large blood clots that dislodged my stent causing incontinence! Do you have a string on yours? My first one did not, I had my surgery yesterday and the replacement that comes out next week does have a string for removal. And you were told no sexual activity! Would suck if you damaged something and were unable to have sex again EVER!
I have a 6mm stone on the right side, and was being treated for infection also. On Dec. 22nd. My doctor called with test results that I was positive with high white cell count and e-coli, and when I told her I had a temp of 102F was ordered to the ER. After the Cat-scan, 3rd bag of fluids and 3rd. shot of pain meds was informed that the Urologist had been contacted, I was going into septic shock, and was being prepped at midnight for emergency surgery/stent placement to drain the infection and fluids to keep me alive! After surgery I felt SO much better. I was warned about discomfort and blood in my urine so I did not freak out until after I went back to work the next week. Now I have to inform you I am a type 2 diabetic, and a cardiac patent also on blood thinners. Well back to work I was peeing dark blood from movement, and by afternoon was starting to clot! 3 weeks I have been fighting this peeing chicken and turkey sized blood clots which has wore me out along with having to get up to pee at night every 2 hours! NOW in week 3 I have now become incontinent, and leak every time I bend or climb stairs! I go for stone removal next week finally! I hope this ordeal will end along with being incontinent, this is very humiliating for anyone to go thru being an adult and having to wear a “diaper” And the pain associated with this and the passing the blood clots! They gave me phenazopyrid for “pain and discomfort” Well it don’t work! I wish now they would have just kept pumping the pain meds in the hospital and just let me go!
****that is chicken and turkey liver sized clots…***
**update** had laser surgery yesterday and stent replaced. The old stent had dislodged from it’s position most likely from the blood clots causing the incontinence by being lodged in the urethral opening. Last night the pain from the surgery was horrible, after 4 doses of the prescribed pain medicine and a heating pad on my right side, I was able to fall a sleep around 4am, and was back up at 7. After a few hours of being up and moving around the pain has again intensified! The new stent has a string coming out of my penis which is held in place by surgical tape around my penis. This concerns me with only a little slack it in and a guy wakes up with morning wood, will it again get displaced!? Well so far so good, with the morning wood I did feel discomfort, but it seems to still be where it should!
I’ve just had a stent put in yesterday and it is distinctly uncomfortable (feels like someone is scratching the inside of my bladder, if that makes any sense), but I’m willing to take this over the excruciating renal colic I was suffering from the 5mm stone that is stuck in my ureter. I have another, slightly larger stone lying in wait in the same kidney, so can’t wait for that to drop *sarcasm*
After I had my first 2 stents placed I was in agony; ‘almost passed-out. My urologist’s nurse told me that the pain was usual; I have a very high threshold of pain but it didn’t matter to the nurse.Two days later I went to the ER, had a couple of tests and it was discovered that one of the stents was defective. I was admitted, a different surgeon in the same office came within minutes and he replaced the defective stent. Since then I have had only minor upper back discomfort.
Does a stone being shoved back into the Kidney by the stent happen often?
My stone was imbedded in my kidney and had to be blasted with a laser, my stent was to allow fluids/infection to pass until they could safely do my laser surgery which was yesterday, they did replace the stent to allow proper drainage and it will be removed next week.
I have 7mm stone in right kidney & had a stent put in on Thursday before op doctor said it may be slightly uncomfortable but nothing to bad. Wake up from op in extreme pain end up having to stay overnight at hospital, doctor comes to check up next morning & says I did say it will be uncomfortable & I was like um this is more than uncomfortable mate! Can not wait to get it out have been in pain since & need to pee every five minutes! Kidney stones SUCK!
Totally feel for you was told the same was on morphine and tramadol for 10 weeks because of a stent was the worst period of my life , struggled to walk the pain was horrendous ,stent was removed in october but still had bladder spasms for a month after also the stent made me incontinent ,this is what the doctors fail to mention they tell you will feel a bit of discomfort but will only last a couple of days definitely wasn’t in my case , an hour after surgery i was told to leave the hospital was urinating blood and in extreme pain
has the incontinence subsided yet?
You said it!
If they go in to place a stint why do the doctors not just grab the stone?
My Dr Lasered my 5mm stone & still put in & left stent in for parts and other stones to come out better. That was a month ago and I can`t stand the pressure from it anymore!!
in my case I was going into septic shock, I am a cardiac patent also and type II diabetic. The risk of laser and flushing was to much of a risk of spreading the infection to the rest of my body. They inserted the stent to allow fluids/infection to drain and when cleared of the infection they were able to continue. I had surgery yesterday in which they also replaced the stent with a new one, and next week it will be removed!
I have a 7 mm stone the doctor pushed it back up into my kidney put a stent in and said see you after the holidays, w t f
I had the same thing just happen. The pain from this stent is unbearable..They don’t have me schedule to go back in until Jan 5th to get the stone same size.. I don’t know if I can last that long with this stent.
I thought I was alone. Had small stone, 4mm, gave 45 days to pass… nothing. Sch. Stent procedure for 12/28… but week before “mother of all pain attacks ” comes, go to ER, no pain meds work ( nurse says ” you are well past any oral mess working”). Late in the day they go in to put stent in…. but leave the stone!
I was crushed, yesterday took stent out, got stone, put naotjer stent in.
I have a 1.2cm stone stuck in my right kidney that was starting to shut it down. I was told since it was a Friday I would have to wait until Monday. I was then scheduled to have a stent put in Tuesday. Bc care was postponed things became too swollen to even get in there to blast the stone. I was sent home with a stent and said we will see you after Christmas. Over the holiday the stent has seemed to shift and is working its way out. Called today and they had taken the day off and will call me tomorrow. Over this and the pain! The “discomfort” I was told I would have is far more than that is is almost debilitating.
When r u scheduled?
I had Ureteroscopy Dec 19 for 2 stones, one 12mm and another smaller one. After having blasted and blasted the stone, Doctor said he couldn’t see anymore to keep blasting and he put in the stent. I had an x-ray a week after to see if any stones were left. Urologist went out of town from Christmas to Jan 2. I had to get results from my primary care doctor as Urologist staff wouldn’t tell me anything. I now have 3 smaller stones as result of the ureteroscopy. Today Urologist’s nurse calls me and says doctor says I need another ureteroscopy and he can’t do it until Jan 23. He can’t even call me himself. So now I have to deal with the discomfort of this stent for 3 more weeks. I feel they really don’t care that our lives are on hold until they find the time to help us. Plus my insurance has changed as of Jan 1 and now instead of a $250 co-pay for outpatient surgery, I have to pay 50% of the bill. Sucks.
Omg! Hope all is well with you now!
One disturbing commonality associated with posts wherein patients describe their medical issues and then articulate their doctors response frequently includes how the patients concerns were either flat out ignored, or dismissed until which time as the patients condition declined to a level requiring immediate intervention. This type of negligence is always unacceptable. Too often these days, medical practices have evolved to become assembly lines allowing for seven minutes or less with each patient quadrupled with red tape and bureaucracy. If you’re not captivating your doctors attention, and you truly feel there’s something wrong; you must speak up. Remember, a doctors reputation and their status with licensing boards, committees, and hospitals is of vital importance. They have a responsibility to their patients first, above all else. It seems in every job there are repetitious daily struggles that get the best of us. Sometimes we repeat certain efforts or procedures so many times we forget how what has become so commonplace to us, is likely very unordinary and frightening to others. You’re children asking for another snack right before dinner every day and night before long you automatically respond without the faintest modicum of concern. Doctors, hearing similar complaints from nearly every patient day in and day out develop a wide range of mechanisms for countering such typical complaints. This is highly predictable human behavior. One important responsibility however, that each of us has a basic responsibility to hold ourselves accountable too, is ensuring a constant reminder of how our internal protections may afford us the pleasure of minimizing certain things we continually experience; that in reality, procedures so commonplace for medical professionals, are in fact very unsettling, scary, and often painful experiences for patients and their families.
Hello. Stone maker here! I recently had a 7mm stone drop and was rushed to ER for emergency removal via ureteroscopy. The Dr. placed a stent in Saturday and I had an appointment to have it removed Tuesday. It was soon after because after I awoke from surgery to find I had a stent in I was very unhappy and demanded to have it removed. This was my third surgery for stones and the last one (where I was hospitalized for 5 days with severe infection [Septic]), I was not given a stent and I did just fine healing. He agreed to remove it after 4 days, but during those 4 days it was nothing less than painful and I was in Pjs and on my back the entire time, afraid to even move. After the removal, I left the clinic and within minutes of leaving a 6mm Stone dislodged and fell and I was back in the ER with another surgery (4th) the next day. Dr told me before surgery that I was getting another stent but this time it would be smaller and softer, and he was not negotiating. He gave me Piridiam and Flomax, and mostly I’ve had no trouble. The day of surgery, and about 4 days later, it was hard every morning. The first pee in the morning is the worst- It burns and you have bladder spasms (feels like a UTI) for about an hour, but once I got the Piro and water flowing again the pain was tolerable. The key to stents is drinking so much water you almost want to puke. For those who have excruciating pain when you pee, the key really is to drink a lot of water, more than you’ve ever had before. If you aren’t rushing to the bathroom every thirty minutes or less with a stream that either bursts or lasts for what feels like forever, you’re not drinking enough. The second week it was in I hardly knew it was there. I go back in 3 days… say a prayer this 5mm I have left doesn’t drop!!! Oh, I was also told that the stent was there to allow any shards of stone left from surgery to pass easily. 3 days after surgery a 1mm and a 2.5mm (approx.) passed while I was at work.
I had 7mm kidney stone, also acute kidney injury stage 1 & a bad water infection. I had stone removed as emergency op and a stent put in. I was told it would be in for 10 days but I not heard anything. Also I have blood dripping into toilet when I pee and have continuous urge to go every 5 minutes. Is this normal?
I have blood dripping into toilet when I pee and have continuous urge to go every 5 minutes. Is this normal?
Yes, unfortunately this is normal. It doesn’t sound like your doc did a very good job of explaining what to expect. I had my second stent placed today following a ureteroscopy to remove an 8 mm stone. The urge is constant and my urine looks like Hawaiian Punch. Hawaiian Punch = good; tomato juice = bad. I had a message waiting from my doc when I got home after the procedure with my appointment time for stent removal.
treatment if stent falls off the ureter and falls into the bladder? Stent was to be removed 6 weeks after surgery and 4 1/2 weeks later it was diagnosed that the stunt is now in the bladder. Is this an emergency?
I’ve had my stent placed over a month now. First week after my procedure the pain was excruciating I literally cried every time I had to urine. I called my Dr after a week of pain he prescribed a bladder muscle relaxer and it helped a lot. I stopped using the medication because I didn’t have any discomfort at all now almost 2 weeks since I stop the meds suddenly the pain came back running from my right lower back to the front of my leg which is even worst because now I can’t move properly or stand straight without having any pain. I called my Dr. office last week, he told me he was going on vacation and when he came back this week his staff would give me a call to schedule the removal as of today no call yet! This is torture.
I have a hiatel hernia. Using flowmax, the pain sympathetically goes to my left side solar plexus and varies between a 4-5/10 at night causing me to rise and apply heat via a microwaved bean bag every 2 hours.
I just had a 6.7mm stone removed the agent scared me mine has to stay 3 weeks. Feeling discomfort and wanting to rest and nothing else. This kidney stone has been debilitating to my life so I will soldier through stent discomfort. I feel for all of you. I’m going to take cleavers tincture and juniper berries & nettles for my kidneys. Also any anti-inflammatory I can get.
I live in New Zealand and I have had a stent put in around a large stone in my left kidney which was badly infected. I had told my GP there was something wrong with me for weeks, but he never believed me and was only diagnosed after going to another doctor. After being discharged from hospital, I was remitted two days later with pancreatitis,which is painful, but not as painful as a twisted and burst bowel which I had 5 years ago. With the stent in, I have that horrible urge to go to the toilet all the time and it burns when I pass urine. The stent is due to be removed on Dec 4th. Can’t wait. I am wondering if the pancreatitis was caused by the kidney problem as I don’t drink. .