Ureteral Stents in High Demand with Significant Increase in Prevalence of Urolithiasis in Last Few Decades in Most Asian Countries

 

Ureteral stents are thin tubes that are placed directly into your ureter to assist in the draining of urine from your kidneys. One end of this thin tube is within your kidney and the other ends are placed within your bladder. A ureteral stent can be used for several months.

In some cases, ureteral stents might be required to open the passage in order to allow the flow of urine. If you experience any type of pain or discomfort while urinating, your doctor should investigate the problem. Symptoms include pain that only occurs in one side of your body (right ureter), lack of feeling in the lower back or abdomen, blood in the urine, and a cloudy appearance to the urine. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is imperative that you contact your doctor immediately for a proper diagnosis.

The most common causes of ureteral blockages involve polyps (cancerous tumors) or adhesions (tumors). Other causes are injury to the kidneys themselves, such as exposure to infections, diabetes, or certain medications. As mentioned earlier, pregnancy can also cause problems, especially in the early stages. A blockage can also develop if a kidney tumor or other condition is not treated or corrected.

Most people who undergo ureteral stents placement are actually experiencing one of several different conditions, many of which can easily be reversed. One such condition is polyps or adhesions. Depending on the size and location of the blockage, these can often be treated with excision, surgery, or both. A ureteral stent, when placed correctly, will successfully prevent the flow of urine from the bladder into the ureter.

Increasing prevalence of urolithiasis boosts adoption of ureteral stents. According to the study, ‘Epidemiology of urolithiasis in Asia’, published in the Asian Journal of Urology, in October 2018, the prevalence of urolithiasis increased significantly in the last few decades in most Asian countries, like China (from 4% to 6.4%), Japan (from 4.3% to 9.0%), South Korea (from 3.5% to 11.5%), Thailand (from 1.4% to 16.9%), Saudi Arabia (from 6.8% to 19.1%), Iran (from 5.7% to 8.1%) and Israel (from 1.2% to 9.2%). Such high prevalence leads to launch of new products. In April 2019, Dornier MedTech launched its new AXIS Single-Use Digital Flexible Ureteroscope and Stone Management Products in the U.S.