Cystoscopy and DJ stent placement or removal

A DJ stent is a flexible internal tube that keeps urine moving from a kidney to the bladder, and cystoscopy can help place or remove it. DJ means double J, describing the curled ends that help hold the stent in position. A stent may be used when a ureter is narrowed or blocked, or while the urinary tract heals after another procedure.

The cystoscope enters through the urethra and allows the clinician to see the bladder opening of the ureter. Instruments passed through the scope can guide placement or grasp the bladder end for removal. The stent stays entirely inside the body unless it has a removal string. It supports drainage but does not itself treat the underlying cause of narrowing, such as swelling, a stone, scar tissue, or pressure from nearby disease.

Keep the removal or exchange appointment in your calendar because a stent should not be forgotten. Take prescribed medicines as directed and drink fluids according to your clinician's advice, especially if another health condition limits fluids. Urgency, frequent urination, bladder discomfort, blood-tinged urine, or an ache in the kidney area during urination can occur. Activity may make these symptoms more noticeable, so adjust exertion and record changes that interfere with sleep or daily life.

Contact the clinical team promptly for fever, chills, increasing side or back pain, persistent vomiting, difficulty passing urine, heavy bleeding, clots, or a stent that appears displaced. Severe illness, confusion, faintness, or inability to keep fluids down warrants emergency assessment. These warning signs are based on possible infection, blockage, bleeding, or movement of the stent, not on the original reason it was inserted.

Before leaving, confirm which side contains the stent, why it is needed, and the intended date and method of removal or exchange. Ask whether it has a string, what activity limits apply, which symptoms are expected for you, and how to reach the urology service after hours. If cancer care is ongoing, check whether the stent affects planned scans or treatments.