Cystoscopy & Ureteral Stent
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CYSTOSCOPY & URETERAL STENT FACT SHEET You currently have a stent with strings. Please follow the directions in the stent removal WHAT IS CYSTOSCOPY? section WHY YOU NEED IT? You currently have a stent without strings. You will have your stent removed in the clinic or WILL I BE AWAKE? at a later date determined by your surgeon. Please disregard stent removal section. PRIOR TO CYSTOSCOPY? WHAT IS A STENT? WHAT IS URETEROSCOPY? PRIOR TO CYSTOSCOPY AFTER THE PROCEDURE Cystoscopy is an outpatient procedure Prior to your procedure you will have an STENT REMOVAL where a small camera is placed into your appointment with Erlanger OR pre-testing to CLINIC FOLLOW-UP urethra (the opening where your urine discuss specific medication instructions and QUESTIONS comes out) which allows your doctor to see review the plan for anesthesia. Since into your bladder. Once inside your cystoscopy is an outpatient procedure, you will bladder, your doctor uses the camera to usually go home the same day. place a ureteral stent in your ureter (the tube which drains urine from your kidney WHAT IS A STENT? to your bladder) as well as into your kidney. At the end of the procedure, your doctor will place a stent into your ureter. A stent is a thin, flexible piece of plastic that will hold open your ureter allowing passage of any small stone pieces and urine. This allows your kidney to drain easily and prevents blockage of your kidney that can result in pain. The stent is about 12 inches long and looks and feels like a piece of spaghetti. Anand Shridharani,MD WHY YOU NEED CYSTOSCOPY Men’s Reproductive and AFTER THE PROCEDURE By looking into your bladder and urethra Sexual Health Specialist After the procedure you may experience the your doctor is able to locate and treat your Clinical Instructor following symptoms. All of these are normal kidney stone, blockage of your urethra or Department of Surgery and should resolve within 1 or 2 days after ureter. your stent is removed. Academic Urology Urinary frequency (urinating more 961 Spring Creek Road WILL I BE AWAKE? often than usual) Suite #202 For the procedure, an anesthesiologist will Urinary urgency (the sensation that Chattanooga, TN provide you with a general anesthetic or a you need to urinate right away) Phone (423)778-6941 strong sedative and pain medication to Painful urination (this can be pain in Fax (423) 778-6936 make you comfortable during the your bladder or in your back when you procedure. urinate) Blood in your urine (a stent can irritate the lining of your bladder causing it to bleed) Back/Flank pain, especially with urination (continued on back side) URETEROSCOPY& URETERAL STENT ACT HEET You will receive a prescription for narcoticF SIn order to decrease your pain after stent pain medication after the procedure. You removal: will also receive a prescription for Continue to take the pain medication tamsulosin which you will take once a day for 12-24 hours. for 2 weeks to help relax your ureter and You may also alternate taking decrease stent discomfort. You will also ibuprofen with the pain pills if you need to purchase a stool softener as the have no medical reasons to avoid narcotic pain medication can make you ibuprofen. For example, take constipated. Vicodin/Percocet before stent removal, 3 hours later take ibuprofen STENT REMOVAL 600mg, 3 hours later take In most cases, your doctor will leave strings Vicodin/Percocet, etc. attached to your stent. In males, the Stay as hydrated as possible with strings will be taped to your skin after the water, and avoid caffeinated procedure. In females, the strings will be beverages. taped together hanging outside your urethra or tucked inside of the vagina. The WHENTOCALL: strings will allow you to remove the thin If your pain is not controlled by the flexible stent while you are at home. pain meds and ibuprofen. Normally, the stent can be removed 3-5 You have continued vomiting. days after your procedure. Your doctor will You have a temperature>101.4. direct you when to remove the stent. FOLLOW-UP On the day you are supposed to remove An appointment will be scheduled for you to your stent, do the following: follow-up in the Urology clinic. This 1)As soon as you wake up in the morning, appointment usually takes place 2-6 weeks take 1-2 pain pills with food. after your procedure. You may also be One hour later, sit on the toilet or in rescheduled for another stent exchange in 3-6 the bath tub. months. Your provider will instruct you when 2)Take a deep breath in and while to schedule a follow-up appointment or the exhaling, pull the string slowly while appointment will be made for you prior to you count 1-2-3. leaving the hospital. 3)Dispose of the stent in the garbage. QUESTIONS 1 to 6 hours after removing the stent: If you have questions before or after your You may get worse side or back procedure, you can call the Urology clinic pain. This pain could last up to 24 hours between 8 AM and 3:30 PM Monday-Friday at but should start to diminish (423) 778-6941. If you are unable to reach us approximately 12 hours after the through that number please contact our stent was pulled out. practice’s main number at (423) 778-5910. You may also experience additional After hours and on weekends, you will be blood in your urine or pain with directed to the provider on call through the urination after the stent is pulled physician answering service. out. V6/11/14 .