This leaflet answers common questions about having a ureteric stent. If you would like further information, or have any worries, please do not hesitate to ask your nurse or doctor.

In all cases, a doctor will explain the procedure to you and answer any questions you may have.

What is a ureteric stent?

A ureteric stent is a soft plastic hollow tube, like a straw, which is inserted into the tube (called the ureter) between your kidney and bladder. The stent allows the urine to bypass a blockage from conditions such as a kidney or ureteric stone and is also used after stone removal surgery to allow the kidney and ureter to settle.

What is the benefit of a stent?

A stent ensures there is drainage of urine from the kidney to the bladder after your operation.

What are the risks of stents?

Common (more than 1 in 10)

  • Burning or discomfort on passing urine.
  • Blood in your urine.
  • Discomfort in your back when you move or pass urine.
  • Increased frequency of passing urine and in rare cases the inability to empty your bladder, requiring temporary placement of a catheter (tube through the water pipe to the bladder).

Occasional (1 in 30)

  • Urine infection needing antibiotics.
  • Inability to insert or remove the stent – a different procedure will be performed if this occurs.

Rare (1 in 50)

  • Delayed bleeding and clot formation needing more surgery to remove clot and stop the bleeding.
  • Injury to the urethra (water pipe) causing delayed scar formation or to the ureter bladder or kidney.

After the procedure

  • When you get home, you should drink plenty of fluid.
  • You can pass urine as normal.
  • You may find that when you pass urine it stings or burns or is blood stained.
  • You may want to pass urine more frequently, have tummy pain, pain in the back and sometimes men experience some pain at the tip of the penis. These symptoms are common and are not a cause for concern. They usually settle within a few days of having the stent but can continue for the duration that you have a stent.
  • Stent symptoms can be managed with simple over the counter pain relief medication (eg paracetamol or ibuprofen) as well as more specialised medications such as tamsulosin and solifenacin. You may be prescribed these by your urologist or GP. Antibiotics are not necessary unless an infection is proven.
  • Sometimes you may experience severe pain and the stent will need to be removed.

How your stent is removed

You will receive an out-patient appointment to remove your stent (usually performed under local anaesthetic) or an operation date to remove, or change, your stent under general anaesthetic.

When stents are removed under local anaesthetic (you are awake for the procedure) a telescope is inserted into the bladder via the urethra, and the end of the stent is grasped and removed.

Many stent removals are carried out under local anaesthetic with a small number of procedures done using general anaesthetic. Your clinical team will discuss the best option for your treatment with you.

Please be aware that you can eat and drink before the removal of your stent if your procedure is booked as a day case under local anaesthetic.

If you have a tethered stent (stent on string) this will be removed by a doctor or nurse by gently pulling on the strings.

Stents are usually removed from a few days to a few weeks after being inserted, or during your planned kidney stone operation. If the stent needs to be replaced, this will ideally be carried out within six months after insertion.

If you have not heard from us with a date for your stent removal or change, please contact our stone navigator on 020 7794 0500 extension 33122 or email: rf.stone@nhs.net.  

If you have any other questions or concerns, please contact our kidney stone clinical nurse specialists on extensions 32585 or 36992.

If you feel generally unwell and/or develop a high temperature or pain, you should seek urgent medical attention at the nearest emergency department.