Experience with indwelling ureteral stent catheters.

A new indwelling ureteral stent to provide long-term ureteral drainage is described. This radiopaque stent is manufactured of non-reactive, non-collapsible tubing and is designed to resist downward expulsion and upward migration. Internal stent diversion offers advantages in managing patients whose ureters are obstructed by malignancy. 1) Endoscopic placement of the ureteral stent is associated with less morbidity and mortality than supravesical diversion. 2) Unilateral obstruction can be corrected at the time of diagnosis, thus ensuring that later supravesical diversion will not be necessary. 3) If time proves that the urinary diversion is no longer desirable in terms of quality of life, the stent can be removed.