Material fatigue testing of a new intraureteral wire stent (Zebrastent).
OBJECTIVE
Ureteral stenting plays a vital role in urology but still entails complications such as migration, encrustation, and blockage. We present our experience with a novel ureteral stent (Zebrastent) that had the complication of breakage which we explored by fatigue testing.


METHODS
We developed a device that can reproduce the movements of the Zebrastent in vitro (bending and cranio-caudal movements). We estimated the number of movements of the stent during 1 day and we thus calculated how much stress would result if it were in place for 9 months.


RESULTS
We estimate that the stent will not break when in place up to 9 months in a kidney with average curvature. However, the stent broke when it was used in a kidney with a sharper-than-normal curvature.


CONCLUSIONS
The Zebrastent may be a valuable addition to the armamentarium of the endourologist, provided that the appropriate size is selected.
Staios
Dimitrios
D
Department of Urology, Barts & The London NHS Trust, West Smithfields, London, UK. dstaios@yahoo.com
Patel
Mayur
M
Papatsoris
Athanasios
A
Almpanis
Stefanos
S
Birch
Malcom
M
Buchholz
Niels-Peter Noor
NP
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D015607:Stents / Q000592:standards*; D014513:Ureter