Mrs Hendricks, you’re going to have a ureteric stent inserted tomorrow, right?
Yes.
The doctor told me I have to have one put
in because I had a big stone blocking the
urine.
That’s right.
It’s in your notes.
Can you tell me what you know about the procedure?
I don’t really know much at all.
I only know it’s supposed to help with the
urine flow.
That’s all right.
I’ll run through what will happen tomorrow
during the procedure.
And also, what to expect afterwards.
Thank you.
I’ve been feeling a bit anxious about it
actually.
If you know what to expect, you may feel more relaxed about the procedure.
You are quite right that stents are placed
into the bladder and ureters so urine flows
freely.
What does a stent look like?
It’s a soft tube about 30 cms long and quite narrow.
How long will I have the stent in?
It’s a temporary measure.
It will stay in for 3 days after the procedure.
While the stent is in, you may feel some discomfort in the bladder, especially when you pass urine.
You’ll be prescribed pain relief to help
with this.
Oh, OK.
The other thing is that you’ll notice some
blood in your urine, especially after you
move about.
Blood in my urine?
I didn’t know that.
You shouldn’t be concerned about it.
There’s rarely more than a bit of blood
passed in the urine.
Once the stent is removed, the bleeding will stop.
You said the stent stays in for 3 days.
How does it come out?
Before it’s removed, the urologist will
apply some local anaesthetic gel to numb the
urethra.
Then, a cystoscope or flexible tube will be
placed into your urethra.
There is a tool at the end of the cystoscope which will grab the end of the stent so it
can be slowly pulled out of your urethra.
Is it a painful procedure?
It’s not painful, but it can cause some
discomfort which may last for about a day.
As I mentioned before, you’ll be given some painkillers to take.
Do I have to do anything afterwards?
Try to drink 2 to 3 litres of water each day
to help flush your kidneys and clear the urine.
OK.
If your urine remains pink after a few days,  make sure you report it immediately to your GP
Right.
I’ll watch out for that.
