What is ureteral stent removal?

Activity

• Rest when you feel tired.
• Allow your body to heal. Don't move quickly or lift anything heavy until you are feeling better.
• Most people are able to return to work the day after the procedure. If your work requires intense activity, you may feel pain in your kidney area or get tired easily. If this happens, you may need to do less strenuous activities while you heal.

Diet

• You can eat your normal diet. If your stomach is upset, try bland, low-fat foods like plain rice, broiled chicken, toast, and yogurt.
• Drink plenty of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to).

Medicines

• Your doctor will tell you if and when you can restart your medicines. You will also get instructions about taking any new medicines.
• If you take aspirin or some other blood thinner, ask your doctor if and when to start taking it again. Make sure that you understand exactly what your doctor wants you to do.
• Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.
  • If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
  • If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
• If your doctor prescribed antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.

After the stent removal, you may need to urinate often. You may have some burning during and after urination for a day or two. It may help to drink lots of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to). This also helps prevent a urinary tract infection.

Slightly pink urine is common for several days after removal.

Ask your doctor about medicines for pain.

A ureteral (say "you-REE-ter-ul") stent is a thin, hollow tube that was placed in your ureter to help urine pass from the kidney into the bladder. Ureters are the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder.

There are several ways to remove the stent. The stent may have been removed by your doctor in a hospital or your doctor's office. Or it may have been taken out at home.

After the stent removal, you may need to urinate often. You may have some burning during and after urination for a day or two. It may help to drink lots of fluids (unless your doctor tells you not to). This also helps prevent a urinary tract infection.

Slightly pink urine is common for several days after removal.

There are several ways to remove the stent. If it has been in place for a while, you may have an X-ray to see if the stent is smooth or if it has become lined with a crust. This crust can make it harder to remove the stent.

Some stents can be removed with an attached string that comes out of your urethra. In some cases, if your doctor recommends it, you will be able to remove the stent at home. Or your doctor will remove it with the string in the doctor's office or hospital.

If there is no string, you will need to have a procedure to remove the stent. It's done using a thin, lighted tube called a cystoscope, or scope. The doctor inserts the scope into your urethra and on into the bladder. The scope allows the doctor to check areas of your bladder and urethra that usually don't show up well on X-rays.

Your doctor can also insert tiny tools through the scope to remove the stent. You may get medicine that relaxes you or puts you in a light sleep. The area where the scope is inserted may be numb. You will probably be able to go home the same day.