With the approval of your Family Dr. or Cardiologist please discontinue your blood thinner’s [aspirin, Eliquis, Coumadin, ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve etc.] no later than one week before your ureteroscopy and for an additional three days past your ureteroscopy.  If you need pain control before or after your ureteroscopy you may use Tylenol, tramadol or the Norco’s we prescribed you.
 

At this time, you have had a right or left double J stent placed to treat a stone in your ureter. The preceding days may have been filled with desires to urinate more often than normal which is attributed to your stent, but the end of treatment is nearby.
 

The stent generally increases the diameter of the ureter from 50-100% and makes the procuring of the stone with a ureteroscope and laser fragmentation of the stone a speedier process.  Our typical stent time is 5-7 minutes and our ureteroscopy with Holmium laser fragmentation is 15 or so minutes.
 

We also replicate the antibiotics and pain medication [Levaquin 750 mg #10 once daily and Norco 10 mg #30, one or two pills every 4-6 hours] prescribed for your stent placement for your ureteroscopy so you will be likely pain and infection free.  Also, please remember I encourage you to take stool softeners throughout your stone treatment surgeries to avoid possible constipation. 
 

After your ureteroscopy and laser fragmentation I nine out of ten times leave you stent free but if there is some uncomfortable bleeding during the case I may elect to place another stent for 24-48 hours then remove in the office or operating room under sedation if necessary.  If I leave a stent in after your ureteroscopy I will tell your spouse, significant other or family member.  Amy, from my office will discuss with you the aftercare for the stent removal with the where and when aspects.
 

Please remember stones in the same sided kidney I often elect to not treat simultaneously with your ureteroscopy because of the chance of increased pain and additional bleeding and for the likely need of restenting.  Shockwave lithotripsy with the use of sound wave to fragments stones is my preferable means of treating these stones in the kidney.