Whatare discharge instructions?Discharge instructions are informationabout how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a healthproblem.Whatis a ureteral stent?A ureteral stent is a small tube that helps make the ureterwider. Normally, urine drains from the kidneys through the ureters, into thebladder, then out of the body . Sometimes, a kidney stone or injury can blockthe flow of urine from the kidneys. A ureteral stent can make the ureter wideenough for a stone to pass or keep the ureter open while it heals.Onsome stents, the ends of the tube are shaped like a coil. The coils help holdthe tube in place. One end rests in the bladder, and the other end rests in thekidney.Youmight need to have a stent in place for a few days or a few weeks. If the stentis needed for a longer time, it might need to be replaced. The doctor will talkwith you about how long your stent will need to be in place.Howdo I care for myself at home?Ask the doctor ornurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understandexactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there isanything you do not understand.Aftera ureteral stent is placed, it is normal to:●Have pain in your back, side, or bladder, or a burning feelingwhen you urinate●Need to urinate often●Need to urinate suddenly or in a hurry●Have blood in your urineThesesymptoms should go away when the stent is removed. The doctor can give youmedicines to help with the symptoms if they bother you.Youshould also:●Avoid pulling on the string from the stent that is outside ofyour body, if you have one .If you pull the string, the stent might come out.●Take non-prescription pain medicine to help with pain, ifneeded. This includes over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen (samplebrand names: Advil, Motrin), acetaminophen (samplebrand name: Tylenol), or naproxen (samplebrand names: Aleve, Naprosyn).●Take a warm bath to help ease pain. Do this as needed.●Drink lots of water, juice, or broth, unless your doctor toldyou otherwise. This will help reduce irritation.●Empty your bladder as soon as you feel the need to. Don't delaygoing to the bathroom. This can stretch and weaken the bladder.Whatfollow-up care do I need?The doctor will want to see you againafter the stent is placed. The doctor might need to remove or replace yourstent. Go to these appointments.Whenshould I call the doctor?Call the doctor or nurse for advice if:●You have signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4°F(38°C) or higher, chills, or pain when you urinate.●You have a lot of bleeding from your urethra (the tube thatcarries urine from the bladder out of the body), or the bleeding lasts longerthan 5 days.●You have blood clots in your urine that are the size of a dimeor bigger (3/4 inch, or 1.7 cm).●Your urine is cloudy.●You have little or no urine, or are not able to urinate.●Urine leaks from your body.●The stent comes out.