title: Advances in ureteral stent development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ureteral stents are commonly used in urology, but there is no perfect ureteral stent. This review documents developing ureteral technologies and strategies over the past 2 years. This area has some progressive advances in the foreseeable future.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Publications from 2014 and 2015 from a PubMed search with the words 'ureter' and 'stent' in the title were reviewed. Topics that affected patient symptoms from stents include selecting the proper length of stent, patient education regarding stent symptoms, and how the stent is removed. Stent extraction strings have been studied and not increased the incidence of infection or pain. There have been several publications examining antirefluxing ureteral stents that reduced vesicoureteral reflux during micturition and infection of transplanted kidneys. Other novel methods of removing a stent include new biodegradable ureteral stents and metal beads attached to the stent used in tandem with a magnetic catheter. Several new metal and mesh stents were described for use in patients with malignant ureteral obstruction. Last, new stent coatings with antimicrobial peptides have also been described.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The search continues for the perfect stent and there has been promising progress over the past 2 years.
authors: Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors: Ben H
authors: BH
authors: Chew
authors: Dirk
authors: D
authors: Lange
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends; D014513:Ureter / Q000601:surgery*; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials