A GUIDE TO HAVING A URETERIC STENT INSERTED

A GUIDE TO HAVING A URETERIC STENT INSERTED

WHAT IS A URETERIC STENT? A ureteric stent is a thin plastic tube which can be inserted into your ureters (tubes that carry urine from your kidney to your bladder) to relieve a blockage if one of your ureters is blocked. Having a ureteric stent inserted will prevent urine building up in your kidney, which could damage it. If you don t drain the urine, this damage to your kidney could be permanent. Kidneys Ureter Bladder Ureteric Stent PREPARING FOR HAVING A URETERIC STENT INSERTED Before your procedure Let the radiologist know if you take any medicines and if you have any allergies. You may need to have a blood test to check that your blood clots normally. The day of your procedure You should not eat for 6 hours before the procedure. You may drink water for up to 2 hours before the procedure. If you are not in hospital already, you will be admitted as a day patient. When you are on the ward, a nurse will

ask you several questions about your health and any medicines you take. He or she will also check your blood pressure and pulse, and ask you to change into a gown. Your nurse will bring you to the X-ray department on your bed. In the procedure room, the radiologist will discuss what will happen during and after the procedure. He or she will also discuss with you the benefits and risks of having a ureteric stent inserted. This is a good opportunity to ask any questions so you understand exactly what is going to happen before you sign a consent form to go ahead. WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE PROCEDURE? You will lie on your stomach on a special X-ray table. The radiologist will clean the skin on your lower back with antiseptic fluid and cover it with a sterile drape. Next, the radiologist will inject a local anaesthetic. This may sting a little at first but will then completely block pain from the area. He or she may also give you a sedative. This will help you to relax. The radiologist will use ultrasound and take X-rays to decide on the best location to get into the kidney. Alternatively, you may have have a nephrostomy (fine plastic tube going into the kidney) already in place from a prior procedure. The radiologist will inject dye into your kidneys to highlight your ureters. The radiologist will then pass the ureteric stent over a guide wire and into place inside your ureter. Your urine should be able to pass down the stent and into your bladder. The radiologist might need to leave the nephrostomy in your kidney for a few days to let some urine drain out. If so, he or she will put some stitches in your skin to hold it in place and will attach it to a bag outside of your body to collect the fluid. The procedure usually takes around an hour, but may take longer.

AFTER THE PROCEDURE You will return to your ward to recover, which can take up to two hours. If you have a nephrostomy, your nurse will check it regularly and may measure the amount of fluid that is collected in the bag. Going home Ask the radiologist for information about how long the nephrostomy needs to stay in place (if it hasn t been taken out already) and how long you will need to have the stent for. This will depend on why your ureter is blocked and if you need to have any further treatment, such as an operation. You can carry on with life as normal with the stent in place.

ARE THERE ANY RISKS? Ureteric stent insertion is commonly performed and generally safe. However, as with every procedure, there are some risks associated with having a ureteric stent inserted. It is common to have a small amount of bleeding around the site. You may also see blood in your urine during the following days. There is also a small risk of introducing an infection in your kidney, or around it. You may need to take antibiotics to treat this. HOW TO FIND US By Car The nearest long stay National Car Park (NCP) is in Cavendish Square. Short stay meter parking is also available in surrounding streets as well as on Harley Street. By Train The nearest tube stations are Regent s Park (Bakerloo line), Baker Street (Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee and Metropolitan lines) and Bond Street (Central and Jubilee lines). By Bus Bus routes 18, 27, 30, 205 and 453 all stop near the top of Harley Street.

O X F O R D S T R E E T O X F O R D S T S T R E E T BAKER STREET M A R Y L E B O N E C H I LT E R N S T R E E T PLACE NOTTINGHAM B L A N D F O R D S T THE HARLEY STREET CLINIC PADDINGTON ST M A R Y L E B O N E H I G H S T N E W WELBECK ST W I G M O R E S T R E E T R O A D W E Y M O U T H S T R E E T W I M P O L E S T H A A R R L L E Y S T THE HARLEY STREET CLINIC DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE M A R Y L E B O N E R D C A V E N D I S H H A R L E Y S T K R A P D E V O N S H I R E S T C A V E N D I S H P L P O R T L A N D C R E P L A C E REGENTS PARK S S T R E E T INTERVENTIONAL ONCOLOGY CENTRE G R E AT P O R T L A N D M O R T I M E R S T GREAT PORTLAND STREET B A K E R S T R E E T B A K E R S T R E G E N T S T R E E T J A M E S S T BOND STREET OXFORD CIRCUS Any questions, email us at: IOC@HCAhealthcare.co.uk Interventional Oncology Centre 80 Harley Street London W1G 8PZ T +44 (0)20 7034 8212 M +44 (0)7872 465 037 F +44 (0)20 7034 8289 www.interventionaloncologycentre.com