Academic Medical Center
Comprehensive Nephrology & Transplant
Joint CommissionMagnet RecognitionUNOS Transplant Center
✓ 24/7 ER✓ ICU✓ Insurance
Ureteral stent placement
A ureteral stent is a thin, flexible tube placed inside the ureter to hold it open, so urine can drain from the kidney to the bladder. It's a short, minimally invasive procedure used to relieve or prevent a blockage and to help the ureter heal.
Content verification
Briefly about this treatment
Indications
A blocked ureter (from a kidney stone, swelling after stone surgery, scarring or a tumour), an obstructed and infected kidney that needs drainage, or protection of the ureter around stone treatment.
Risks
Urinary frequency, burning, blood in the urine and stent discomfort are common; infection, stent movement and crystal build-up are less common. Risks are kept down by timely removal or exchange and prompt reporting of symptoms.
Pre-procedure
Review of medicines and allergies, a kidney-function blood test (eGFR), a urine test and imaging of the blockage, an anaesthesia check, and fasting (typically around 8 hours) as instructed. Arrange for someone to take you home.
Follow-up
A planned date for stent removal or exchange (usually days to weeks; long-term stents are replaced every 3–6 months), plus a review of the underlying cause such as a stone. Contact your urology team if you haven't been given a date.
What is Ureteral stent placement? An expert explains
Each kidney drains through its own ureter into the bladder. When something blocks that path — a stone, swelling, scar tissue, or a tumour pressing on the ureter — urine backs up toward the kidney, causing pain and, if left untreated, kidney damage or infection. A stent bypasses that blockage: the urologist threads it up through the bladder and ureter using a small camera (cystoscope) and X-ray guidance, so urine can flow past the obstruction again. One end coils inside the kidney, the other inside the bladder, which is what holds the stent in place. It’s sometimes called a ureteric stent, urinary stent, JJ stent, double-J stent, or pigtail stent — different names for the same device.
Signs it may be time for Ureteral stent placement
What you may notice
A blocked ureter usually makes itself known. These are the signs people most often describe, though only a doctor can tell you the cause:
- Sudden, severe pain in your side or back (flank) that comes in waves and can travel toward the groin. This is the classic sign of a stone moving into or blocking the ureter.
- Nausea or vomiting alongside the pain, because the kidney is under pressure.
- Blood in your urine, which may look pink, red or tea-coloured.
- Frequent, urgent or painful urination, or passing much less urine than usual.
- Fever or chills with flank pain. This combination can mean the blocked kidney is infected and needs prompt medical attention.
Having one or more of these doesn’t mean you will need a stent. Many causes are simple to treat, and your doctor decides after a urine test and a scan.
Conditions linked to ureteral stent placement
A urologist may recommend a stent when one of these conditions is blocking or threatening the flow of urine:
- Nephrolithiasis (Kidney Stones) — the most common reason for a stent, when a stone lodges in the ureter or fragments are expected to pass after stone treatment.
- Hydronephrosis — swelling of the kidney from backed-up urine; a stent relieves the pressure.
- Obstructive Uropathy — any blockage along the urinary tract; the stent keeps a channel open while the cause is treated.
- Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction — narrowing where the kidney meets the ureter; a stent can drain the kidney or support healing after repair.
- Tumor Obstructive Nephropathy — a tumour pressing on the ureter; a stent can keep the kidney draining, sometimes for months.
When to consult a specialist
If you’ve noticed pain in your side, blood in your urine or changes in how you pass urine, try not to worry — these symptoms often have common, treatable causes. A simple urine test, a blood test for kidney function and a scan can usually show whether something is blocking your ureter, and most people who need a stent recover quickly. Fever with flank pain, vomiting you can’t control, or passing very little or no urine should be checked the same day. Whatever your symptoms, you don’t have to work it out alone: you can find a specialist near you or online, who can explain your results and what comes next.
How a session works
- Before you start. Your urologist reviews your health history, medications and allergies, checks a kidney-function blood test (eGFR), and asks you to fast for at least 8 hours beforehand.
- Anaesthesia. You’re given general anaesthesia (occasionally spinal), so you’re asleep or numb from the waist down and feel nothing during the procedure.
- Cystoscope in. The urologist passes a cystoscope — a thin tube with a light and camera — through the urethra into the bladder.
- Guidewire up. A soft guidewire is threaded through the cystoscope into the ureter’s opening and guided toward the kidney under X-ray (fluoroscopy). Contrast dye may be used so the ureter shows up clearly.
- Stent placement. The stent is slid over the guidewire into position — one coiled end settles in the kidney, the other in the bladder — and the guidewire and cystoscope are removed, leaving the stent behind.
- Position check. An X-ray confirms the stent is correctly placed before you leave the procedure room.
Session duration
about 30 minutes
recorded for this treatment
Cost verify
$1900–$3700
indicative range
Anesthesia
General
recorded for this treatment
Remember: The exact steps, duration and preparation can vary with your indication, health and care setting. Confirm the current plan with your treating team.
Benefits
The main benefit is simple: a stent lets your kidney drain again. For an obstructed kidney, that protects it from pressure damage and often brings quick relief.
- Pain relief. Draining the kidney stops the constant pain of a blocked ureter.
- Kidney protection. Relieving pressure helps guard against permanent kidney damage, and against kidney failure when both kidneys are affected.
- Infection control. A stent can drain infected urine from a blocked kidney, which can be serious if left untreated.
- Healing and safer surgery. It lets the ureter heal after stone surgery or injury, and can gently widen the ureter ahead of later treatment.
- Time to plan. When the cause can’t be treated straight away, a stent buys time to investigate and plan the right next step.
The stent is a temporary bridge, not a cure — the underlying cause, such as a stone, usually still needs its own treatment.
Risks & side effects
The treatment has risks and trade-offs to discuss with your care team. The information below comes from this treatment data.
Urinary symptoms, discomfort, blood in the urine, infection and stent movement. Risks are reduced by timely removal or exchange, good hydration and prompt reporting of symptoms.
Who it may not suit: These are general cautions, not a personal verdict. A qualified clinician must assess your full medical picture before recommending or delaying treatment. For example, they will weigh blood-thinning medicines, an active infection, and fitness for anaesthesia, and if a stent can’t be passed they may suggest a nephrostomy tube instead.
Common side effects
Stent-related symptoms are very common — reported by roughly 20–80% of people, depending on the study and stent used. They are usually bothersome rather than dangerous, and they improve once the stent is out.
- Urgency and frequency. You may need to pass urine more often, or feel a sudden need to go.
- Burning or pulling when you urinate. Often mild to moderate.
- Blood in the urine. Pink or light red urine is common, especially after activity; more fluids usually help.
- Side, bladder or pelvic discomfort. Often worse right after urinating, when the bladder tightens and the lower coil rubs against it.
- Feeling you can’t fully empty your bladder.
Some people notice almost nothing, while others find the stent quite irritating. Tell your team if symptoms are hard to live with — there are options to ease them.
What happens during & after
During: you’re unaware of the procedure under general anaesthesia; under spinal anaesthesia, you may feel pressure but not pain.
Immediately after: once anaesthesia wears off, you’ll feel groggy for a while. Staff will monitor you, treat any pain, and often encourage extra fluids to support kidney and bladder function before discharging you. A small amount of blood in the urine and stinging when you pass urine is common in the first 1–3 days and usually settles on its own.
Short-term vs longer-term stents: if the stent is only needed for up to about two weeks, it’s often left with a fine string that exits through the urethra, so it can be removed in clinic by gently pulling the string. If it will stay longer, the string is left off, and removal later needs a brief cystoscopy.
If a stent can’t be placed: occasionally scarring or a difficult obstruction means a stent can’t be passed from below. The alternative is a nephrostomy — a tube placed through the skin directly into the kidney to drain urine externally.
Possible complications
Serious problems are uncommon, but it helps to know what to watch for. Most complications are more likely the longer a stent stays in, which is why a removal or exchange date matters.
- Urinary tract infection. A stent and an underlying kidney problem make infection more likely. Fever, chills, cloudy or foul-smelling urine, or burning that worsens should be checked and tested, because stent symptoms are often mistaken for infection.
- Stent movement. The stent can slip toward the bladder or, rarely, fall out. Tell your team straight away if you think it has moved.
- Encrustation. Mineral crystals can coat the stent over time, similar to kidney stones, which can make removal harder.
- Blockage or breakage. The stent itself can become blocked or, rarely, break.
- Persistent pain or heavy bleeding. Pain that medicine doesn’t control, or clots in the urine, may mean the stent needs adjusting or removing early.
- A forgotten stent. Long-term stents are usually replaced every 3–6 months, so keep track of your date.
Get medical help the same day if you have a fever or chills, can’t pass urine, or have heavy bleeding.
Remember:
New or severe symptoms require prompt medical advice. Do not wait for a routine appointment if you feel seriously unwell.
Recovery
Recovery from the procedure itself is quick; the longer part is living comfortably with the stent until it comes out. Most people are back to normal daily activities within a week, and many return to work or school within a day or two, longer if the job is physically demanding.
- Day of the procedure: you may feel groggy; someone else should drive you home.
- First 1–3 days: mild stinging and some blood in the urine are common and usually ease on their own.
- While the stent is in: frequency, urgency and occasional discomfort can continue until removal.
Looking after yourself
- Drink plenty of water through the day to ease irritation and lower infection risk.
- Go easy on heavy lifting and strenuous exercise for at least a few days; expect more discomfort or blood in the urine after activity.
- Pain relief: over-the-counter pain relievers help many people, and some clinicians prescribe a medicine that relaxes the bladder or ureter. Check with your own prescriber before starting any medicine.
- Sex: most guidance suggests waiting about a week, and avoiding intercourse if your stent has an external string.
Getting the stent out
- With a string: a nurse or doctor removes it in clinic by gently pulling the string.
- Without a string: a short cystoscopy under local anaesthetic, usually about five minutes.
- Some soreness for a day or two afterward is normal.
Call your doctor if you have a fever or chills, clots in your urine, trouble passing urine, pain that medicine doesn’t control, or if the stent comes out on its own.
Clinics offering Ureteral stent placement
Verified kidney centres linked to this treatment in the KidneyGlobal directory.
University Hospital
Urologic Oncology & Robotic Surgery
ISO 9001European Urology Boardda Vinci Robotic Center
✓ 24/7 ER✓ ICU✓ Insurance
Academic Medical Center
Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery
Joint CommissionNCI Cancer CenterRobotic Surgery Excellence
✓ 24/7 ER✓ ICU✓ Insurance
Public Hospital
Dialysis & Chronic Kidney Disease
Joint CommissionLevel I Trauma CenterESRD Network Certified
✓ 24/7 ER✓ ICU✓ Insurance
Good questions
Most Common Questions
Does a ureteral stent hurt?
The procedure itself doesn't, because you're under anaesthesia. While the stent is in, many people feel some discomfort, a pulling feeling or an urge to urinate, but how much varies a lot. Some barely notice it. Tell your team if it's hard to cope with.
How long will I have the stent?
It depends on why it was placed. Most stents stay for a few days to a few weeks. Some people need one for months, and these are replaced every 3–6 months.
Can I work, exercise and travel with a stent?
Usually yes. Most people carry on with normal life, though heavy exercise can bring on discomfort or blood in the urine. Travel is possible if you feel well; it's sensible to know how to reach medical help where you're going.
Is removing the stent painful?
The area is numbed, so it's usually uncomfortable rather than painful. Soreness for a day or two afterward is common.
Does a stent fix the kidney stone?
Not by itself. A stent keeps urine draining around the blockage; the stone usually needs its own treatment, such as ureteroscopy, or may pass on its own.
Will I need another procedure?
Usually one more: removal of the stent, and sometimes treatment of the cause. Make sure you have a date for it before you go home.
Sources
- Ureteric stent (patient information)University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
- Renal and ureteric stones: assessment and management (NG118)National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
- Stone Management Procedures 2026 Coding & Payment Quick Reference (2026 Medicare national averages, used for the cost range)Boston Scientific Corporation, compiling CMS payment data
- SG700U – Ureter, Cystoscopy and Insertion of Double J Stent (bill information)Ministry of Health, Singapore