What is a Ureteral Stent How is a Stent placed & removed?- Dr. Santosh Bethur

Ureteral stent is a small tube. Its size varies to what we are using it for. The size varies from 16 cm to 26 cms or even sometimes we get a size of 12 cms also. So usually it is placed after any procedure done on the ureter or the kidney, especially the stone removal or the reconstructive surgery like we are reconstructing the ureter or we are reconstructing part of the bladder. So what it does is basically it will help the urine to drain it freely without any obstruction. This ureteral stent is also called as DJ stent or double J stent. T has 2 coils. It is like 26 cms and each end has a coil. So in general one end of the coil will be in the kidney. The other end of the coil will be in the bladders. So the regular stents which are available is kept for upto 6 weeks to 3 months. But after that you will usually develop complications like infections or stone formation over the stent. So when do we place the ureteral stent. So usually we place them after a stone surgery, like we remove the stone endoscopically or by making a puncture in the kidney. So you place the stent, usually you keep it for 2 weeks and after 2 weeks, we remove these stents.