Patient education: Ureteral stent placement – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is a ureteral stent? — A ureteral stent is a small tube that helps make the ureter wider. Normally, urine drains from the kidneys through the ureters, into the bladder, then out of the body (figure 1). Sometimes, a kidney stone or injury can block the flow of urine from the kidneys. A ureteral stent can make the ureter wide enough for a stone to pass or keep the ureter open while it heals.

On some stents, the ends of the tube are shaped like a coil. The coils help hold the tube in place. One end rests in the bladder, and the other end rests in the kidney (figure 2).

You might need to have a stent in place for a few days or a few weeks. If the stent is needed for a longer time, it might need to be replaced. The doctor will talk with you about how long your stent will need to be in place.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

After a ureteral stent is placed, it is normal to:

●Have pain in your back, side, or bladder, or a burning feeling when you urinate

●Need to urinate often

●Need to urinate suddenly or in a hurry

●Have blood in your urine

These symptoms should go away when the stent is removed. The doctor can give you medicines to help with the symptoms if they bother you.

You should also:

●Avoid pulling on the string from the stent that is outside of your body, if you have one (figure 2). If you pull the string, the stent might come out.

●Take non-prescription pain medicine to help with pain, if needed. This includes over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), or naproxen (sample brand names: Aleve, Naprosyn).

●Take a warm bath to help ease pain. Do this as needed.

●Drink lots of water, juice, or broth, unless your doctor told you otherwise. This will help reduce irritation.

●Empty your bladder as soon as you feel the need to. Don't delay going to the bathroom. This can stretch and weaken the bladder.

What follow-up care do I need? — The doctor will want to see you again after the stent is placed. The doctor might need to remove or replace your stent. Go to these appointments.

When should I call the doctor? — Call the doctor or nurse for advice if:

●You have signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, chills, or pain when you urinate.

●You have a lot of bleeding from your urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body), or the bleeding lasts longer than 5 days.

●You have blood clots in your urine that are the size of a dime or bigger (3/4 inch, or 1.7 cm).

●Your urine is cloudy.

●You have little or no urine, or are not able to urinate.

●Urine leaks from your body.

●The stent comes out.

More on this topic

Patient education: Ureteral stent placement (The Basics)
Patient education: Ureteral stent removal (The Basics)
Patient education: Ureteroscopy (The Basics)
Patient education: Kidney stones in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Kidney stones in children (The Basics)

Patient education: Kidney stones in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Kidney stones in children (Beyond the Basics)