Ureteral stents are part of an ever-expanding technology horizon

Although the concept of ureteral stenting has been around since the 1800s, it was not until the 1960s that the more modern version ureteral stents (at that time referred to as splints) were placed endoscopically. Many of the common problems with ureteral stents (irritative voiding symptoms, hematuria, encrustation, bacterial colonization, etc.) have persisted over the years, but several recent advances may abolish or drastically mitigate these problems. Recent attempts to address problems with bacterial colonization, encrustations, and biofilms have included gel-based hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile, slow-release varnish coatings, and antimicrobial triclosan coatings (1).