Ureteroscopy and Stent Placement: What to Expect
Ureteroscopy treats a kidney stone by passing a thin scope up through the urethra and bladder to the stone, often breaking it up with a laser. A soft stent is usually left in for a short time to help you heal.
Before your procedure
- Take any prescribed antibiotics.
- Take only the medicines your care team approved. If you take a blood thinner, aspirin, or a supplement and were not told what to do, call the office — do not stop anything on your own.
- Arrange a ride home, since you may receive sedation or anesthesia.
- Follow the fasting instructions you were given (usually nothing to eat or drink for several hours before).
The day of
You receive anesthesia so you are comfortable and still. Your care team passes the scope up to the stone and breaks it into pieces, which may be removed or left to pass. A stent is often placed to keep the ureter open while swelling settles. Most people go home the same day.
If you were asked to strain your urine, catch any stone pieces in the provided strainer so they can be tested.
The first few days
Expect stone- and stent-related symptoms:
- Urgency, frequency, and burning when you urinate
- A brief flank or kidney ache when you urinate (from the stent)
- Pink or light-red urine that comes and goes
- Passing small stone fragments, which can cause cramps
Drink enough to keep your urine light yellow, and use your prescribed pain medicine. If you have a stent, see the Stent Symptom Coach for day-to-day tips.
The first few weeks
The stent is removed at a short follow-up — either by gently pulling a string or with a quick office cystoscopy. Stent symptoms usually ease quickly once it is out.
Keep your stent-removal appointment. A stent should not be left in longer than planned.
When to call your care team
Call the office number on your discharge paperwork right away, or seek emergency care, if you have any of these:
- Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or shaking chills
- Pain you cannot control with your medicine
- Vomiting that will not stop
- You cannot urinate at all
- Heavy bleeding or many clots in the urine
If you have chest pain, trouble breathing, fainting, or another life-threatening emergency, call 911.
MyUrologyCare — Ureteroscopy / Stent PlacementRead or reprint this guide at: myurologycare.org/procedures/ureteroscopy.html
Educational only — not medical advice and not a substitute for your care team. Follow your own discharge instructions. Call the office number on your discharge paperwork with questions. For an emergency, call 911.