Bladder Sensation Changes 10 Months Post-Stent Removal
It is highly unlikely that the early stent removal 10 months ago is directly causing your current bladder fullness sensations, as ureteral stent-related symptoms typically resolve within days to weeks after removal, not persist for nearly a year.
Timeline of Stent-Related Symptoms
The evidence clearly demonstrates that ureteral stent symptoms follow a predictable pattern:
During stent placement: Approximately 80% of patients experience bothersome urinary symptoms including frequency, urgency, dysuria, incomplete emptying, and bladder discomfort while the stent is in place 1, 2.
After stent removal: Pain and discomfort can temporarily increase in the hours immediately following removal, particularly in younger patients, females, and those with stents in place ≤7 days 3. However, these symptoms are acute and short-lived.
Expected resolution: Stent-related bladder irritation symptoms resolve once the stent is removed, as the source of mechanical irritation (the distal curl irritating the bladder trigone) is eliminated 1, 2.
Why Your Current Symptoms Are Unlikely Stent-Related
The 10-month interval between stent removal and your current symptoms makes a direct causal relationship implausible for several reasons:
Stent-related bladder symptoms are caused by direct mechanical irritation of the bladder wall by the distal coil and reflux of urine back to the kidney 1, 2. Once removed, this mechanism ceases immediately.
Research on stent complications focuses on symptoms during placement and immediately after removal (hours to days), not months later 4, 3.
Early stent removal (even within 10 days post-transplant) does not increase long-term urologic complications when compared to delayed removal at 20-30 days 5, suggesting that premature removal itself does not create lasting pathology.
Alternative Explanations to Investigate
Your altered bladder sensations at this time point warrant evaluation for other causes:
Potential structural complications from the original surgery:
- Ureteral stricture or obstruction that may have developed gradually after the fistulotomy and stent removal 6
- Incomplete healing of the surgical site leading to chronic inflammation
- Recurrent stone disease causing intermittent obstruction 7
Functional bladder issues:
- Overactive bladder or detrusor dysfunction unrelated to the stent 2
- Chronic pelvic pain syndrome that developed independently
- Urinary tract infection or chronic inflammation 6
Recommended Diagnostic Approach
You should undergo comprehensive urologic evaluation including 6:
- Detailed history focusing on the exact nature of bladder sensations (urgency, frequency, incomplete emptying, pain location and timing)
- Urinalysis and urine culture to rule out infection 6
- Imaging with CT urogram to assess for:
Critical pitfall to avoid:
Do not assume these symptoms are "just anxiety" or psychosomatic without ruling out structural complications from your original surgery. The fistulotomy and stone removal created surgical trauma that could result in delayed stricture formation or other anatomic problems 7, 6.
Clinical Bottom Line
The temporal relationship (10 months) essentially excludes the early stent removal as the direct cause of your current symptoms. While the early removal may have caused acute distress at the time, persistent bladder sensation changes this far out require investigation for alternative etiologies, particularly structural complications from the original kidney surgery or new pathology 6, 1, 2.