Advances in ureteral stent design.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Ureteral stents are widely used in patients with urologic disorders. This review critically evaluates the recent literature, providing an update on advances in the development and design of stents. METHODS A thorough MEDLINE and PubMed literature search on ureteral stents was performed, and all pertinent articles were reviewed in detail. This review was formulated on the basis of these articles, encompassing both basic science and clinical aspects of advances in ureteral stent design. RESULTS The advances in development and design have been directed primarily toward decreasing stent-related morbidity such as discomfort, bladder irritability, infection, encrustation, and the need for an additional cystoscopic procedure to remove the stent. In recent years, there have been many significant advances in the design of ureteral stents, including tapered distal ends, and construction, such as magnetic, biodegradable, and tissue-engineered materials. CONCLUSIONS There are many different bulk materials and coatings available for the manufacturing of ureteral stents, many of which are new. However, the ideal biomaterial has yet to be discovered. With ongoing research in this area, further advances in ureteral stent design will continue to improve outcomes for patients who require stents. Future advances are likely to include drug-coated stents, drug-eluting stents, and localized stenting techniques such as endoluminal gel paving.