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Since first being used in the 1960s, ureteric JJ stents have rapidly expanded the arsenal of all urological fields worldwide, from the emergency management of obstruction, reducing morbidity poststone surgery or in renal cancer surgery.1 However, despite their benefits stents often cause issues to patients, namely, pain and recurrent infections.1 Perhaps the more dangerous risk is to those patients who do not feel such symptoms, or are unable to communicate so. They are less likely to seek medical attention if the stent is left in for a prolonged period. The risk of forgotten stents cannot be underestimated with morbidity including encrustation, fistula formation, loss of renal function from the corresponding kidney and even mortality.2 The large-scale use of JJ stents, across different specialities (urology, transplant surgery, interventional radiology) adds to the difficulty in keeping a record of them.3
In the UK, forgotten stents are considered a ‘never event’ and hence can also be a source of significant litigation for hospitals and doctors.4
Various measures have been used to reduce …