Editorial: future of ureteral stents: what do we need? a pearls opinion

Ureteral stents, introduced in 1960s, are essential for managing upper urinary tract pathologies, maintaining ureteral patency in conditions like obstruction, trauma and post-surgery. However, stent-related symptoms (SRS) including pain, dysuria, and urinary frequency, remain a significant clinical challenge. Advances in stent design, biomaterials, drug-eluting catheters and biodegradable options aim to reduce SRS and complications like encrustation and infections. Despite this improvements, the ideal stent has yet to be achieved. The future of stent therapy lies in personalized approaches, aided by artificial intelligence and machine learning, and will focus on reducing morbidity while enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life.