title: Material fatigue testing of a new intraureteral wire stent (Zebrastent).
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Barts & The London NHS Trust, West Smithfields, London, UK. dstaios@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Staios
authors.forename: Mayur
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papatsoris
authors.forename: Stefanos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almpanis
authors.forename: Malcom
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.forename: Niels-Peter Noor
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Buchholz
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D015607:Stents / Q000592:standards*; D014513:Ureter