Compressible ureteral stent for comfort

A ureteral stent for facilitating drainage from a kidney of a patient to a bladder of the patient, the ureteral stent comprising:

• an elongated portion having first and second ends defining a first portion of a lumen extending therebetween, and having a length sufficient to extend substantially within a ureter from the kidney to the bladder of the patient;
• a retention portion extending from the first end of the elongated portion, defining a second portion of the lumen, and defining at least one through aperture for providing fluid communication between the lumen and the kidney, the second portion extending from the first portion, and the retention portion being adapted for placement substantially within the kidney;
• and
• a coil portion extending from the second end of the elongated portion and comprising a wound coil, the wound coil portion being adapted for placement substantially within an intramural tunnel portion of the ureter and for extension into the bladder, the coil portion being sized and configured to be collapsible under radial compression from the intramural tunnel portion.

A method of placing a ureteral stent in a patient, the method comprising:

• providing a ureteral stent comprising:
• an elongated portion having first and second ends defining a first portion of a lumen extending therebetween, and having a length sufficient to extend substantially within a ureter of the patient from a kidney of the patient to a bladder of the patient, the elongated portion not having a mesh construction;
• a retention portion extending from the first end of the elongated portion, defining a second portion of the lumen, and defining at least one through aperture for providing fluid communication between the lumen and the kidney, the second portion extending from the first portion and the retention portion being adapted for placement substantially within the kidney;
• and
• a mesh portion extending from the second end of the elongated portion, the mesh portion being adapted for placement substantially within an intramural tunnel portion of the ureter and for extension into the bladder and being collapsible under radial compression from the intramural tunnel portion;
• inserting the ureteral stent into the ureter of the patient;
• and
• positioning the ureteral stent in the patient with the retention portion substantially within the kidney of the patient and the mesh portion substantially within the intramural tunnel portion of the ureter and extending into the bladder.

A method of placing a ureteral stent in a patient, the method comprising:

• providing a ureteral stent comprising:
• an elongated portion having first and second ends defining a first portion of a lumen extending therebetween, and having a length sufficient to extend substantially within a ureter of the patient from a kidney to a bladder of the patient;
• a retention portion extending from the first end of the elongated portion, defining a second portion of the lumen, and defining at least one through aperture for providing fluid communication between the lumen and the kidney, the second portion extending from the first portion and the retention portion being adapted for placement substantially within the kidney;
• and
• a coil portion extending from the second end of the elongated portion and including a wound coil, the wound coil being adapted for placement substantially within an intramural tunnel portion of the ureter and for extension into the bladder, the coil portion being sized and configured to be collapsible under radial compression from the intramural tunnel portion;
• inserting the ureteral stent into the ureter of the patient;
• and
• positioning the ureteral stent in the patient with the retention portion substantially within the kidney of the patient and the wound coil substantially within the intramural tunnel portion of the ureter and extending into the bladder.

A ureteral stent for facilitating drainage from a kidney of a patient to a bladder of the patient, the ureteral stent comprising:

• an elongated portion having first and second ends defining a first portion of a lumen extending therebetween, and having a length sufficient to extend substantially within a ureter from the kidney to the bladder of the patient, the elongated portion not having a coiled construction;
• a retention portion extending from the first end of the elongated portion, defining a second portion of the lumen, and defining at least one through aperture for providing fluid communication between the lumen and the kidney, the second portion extending from the first portion, and the retention portion being adapted for placement substantially within the kidney;
• and
• a coil portion extending from the second end of the elongated portion and comprising a wound coil, the wound coil portion being adapted for placement substantially within an intramural tunnel portion of the ureter and for extension into the bladder and being collapsible under radial compression from the intramural tunnel portion.