The ureters are tubes consisting of smooth muscle that aid in carrying urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. Sometimes, these tubular organs can become narrowed or blocked, preventing urine from draining properly. A urologist may use a ureteral stent to aid in keeping the ureter(s) open.
Ureteral stents are made of thin, flexible polyurethane or silicone tubes that are about 10-15 inches long and about ¼ inch in diameter. A doctor can line the entire length of the ureter with a ureteral stent to widen it and prevent blockages.
Who Needs a Ureteral Stent?
Most commonly, ureteral stents are implanted to help urine move around a kidney stone that’s blocking proper urine flow, but sometimes a ureteral stent is used to enable urine flow around broken kidney stones which can also cause blockages.
Ureteral stents may also be used to prevent blockages caused by postoperative swelling of the ureter.
Other reasons a urologist may prescribe a ureteral stent can include conditions like:
Blood Clots
Sometimes caused by a bladder infection (cystitis), infection of the prostate (prostatitis), or ureteral stones (fragments of a kidney stone that have traveled to the ureter), blood in the urine can clot which may block the flow causing sudden, intense pain and an inability to urinate.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease can be caused by swelling of the ileum (the intersection between your small and large intestines) and can put pressure on the ureter so that it can’t drain properly.
Build Up of Scar Tissue
Scar tissue– whether caused by surgery, physical trauma, or health problems like endometriosis or cancer– can narrow the ureteral tube and cause urine to back up into the kidneys.
Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction
This is a hereditary condition that causes a narrowing (or stricture) of the ureteral tube.
What to Expect When Having this Procedure
Ureteral stenting is typically an outpatient procedure so that the patient can return home the same day (although someone else should do the driving home).
This is a procedure that generally requires anesthesia so the patient is asleep during the operation.
Your urologist may recommend that patients drink a lot of water following the procedure to facilitate kidney and bladder function.
You may notice blood in the urine (which can come and go randomly) or feel some discomfort after this type of surgery, but these symptoms should resolve within a few days.
In general, ureteral stents are temporary and are removed after a relatively short period of time. Typically doctors remove the stent within days or weeks of having the surgery. However, some patients require stents for months or even years for several reasons including things like tumors that can put pressure on the ureter.
When to See a Specialist
If you are experiencing any one of the following symptoms, you should make arrangements to see a urologist as soon as possible:
Changes in how much urine you are producing
Pain in your abdomen, lower back, or sides just below your ribs
Fever, nausea, vomiting
Difficulty urinating
Recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs)
The urologists at Norman Urology are experts in treating ureteral blockages and other urological issues. They can diagnose a ureteral obstruction by checking your urine and blood for signs of an infection and perform MRIs, CT scans, or ultrasounds to identify the location and cause of a blockage. The specialists at Norman Urology can also use medical devices like ureteral stents to relieve symptoms and resolve the problem.
Whether you are experiencing symptoms of a ureteral blockage or any other urological issue, we encourage you to schedule an appointment today.