RESUMEN
A series of six patients with "forgotten and fragmented" internal ureteral stents, seen and managed at the National Kidney Institute, is presented to illustrate the variable, unpredictable, and at times hazardous course of such patients. The "forgotten" period of the internal indwelling stents ranges from one year to ten years. All of the six patients necessitated a combined endourological and open surgical treatment. Two of the six patients eventually had a nephrectomy. One patient had a cardio-pulmonary arrest during the procedure designed to retrieve the fragmented segments. These cases were cited to increase awareness among Urologists in practice and residents in training of the dire consequences of a "forgotten" internal ureteral stent. It is important to explain to the patient that he/she has an indwelling stent that must be removed or replaced within a particular period of time. A separate record of patients should include data that will enable the Urologist to contact the patient when the need arise. A separate informed consent sheet providing a copy to both the institution and patient may be necessary to protect the hospital from legal complaints.(Author)