Ureteral stent and urinary microbiota

Ureteral stents are extremely common in urological practice and can often become encrusted, leading to numerous complications. In healthy people, the urinary tract maintains its own distinct low biomass microbiota, however, much remains undetermined about the microbiota that adheres to ureteral stents. This study investigated the bacterial communities of ureteral stents and mid-stream urine from a single centre over a one-year period, by means of 16S rRNA gene sequencing.