Technical Notes on Fluoroscopy-Guided Removal of Metallic Ureteral Stents

Abstract

This report describes various techniques for fluoroscopy-guided removal of metallic ureteral stents. Fifteen patients underwent 17 fluoroscopy-guided removal procedures of 22 metallic ureteral stents. The simple or modified snare or retrieval hook technique was primarily used for antegrade access, whereas the loop snare technique was primarily used for retrograde access. Overall, 64.7% of the stents were removed using the initial retrieval technique, and 82.4% of the stents were removed using an adjunct technique. Procedure-related complications included hematuria in 41.2% of cases and resolved spontaneously in all patients. Fluoroscopy-guided removal of metallic ureteral stents is safe and effective.