Ureteral stent complications

Background

• Placed to open up blockages related to kidney stones as well as those related to trauma, strictures, tumors

Complications and Considerations

• UTI
  • PO antibiotics
• Pyelonephritis
  • IV antibiotics, call urology, obtain imaging to look at the stent and urinary tract
• Incidental microscopic hematuria
  • Microscopic hematuria is usually expected
• Gross hematuria
  • Call urology
• Dysuria, urgency, frequency, MILD flank and abdominal pain
  • Pain control, rule out UTI and other processes, consider anticholinergics like oxybutynin
• Migration, malfunctioning, malpositioning and/or fragmentation of the stent
  • Imaging, call urology
• Erosion of urinary tract and vascular-ureter fistula, retroperitoneal hematoma
  • Resuscitation, call urology

See Also

• Urinary tract infections
• Dysuria
• Pyelonephritis

References

Tintinalli, 8th ed