Health News

A small metal connecting tube in her body has made all the difference to 63 year old Norma Fenton's quality of life. Norma, who only has one kidney, had the tiny tube, 20 centimetres in length and 3.5 millimetres wide known as a 'stent' inserted to connect her kidney and bladder. Now she is able to lead a normal life, but if it hadn't been inserted at Barts Hospital near St Pauls last December, she'd have to be on dialysis twice a week.

And the tube insertion has saved her what could have been an estimated 30 days in hospital over 5 years as an in-patient.

Stents are more traditionally used in cardiac situations such as clearing blocked arteries, but Norma's case highlights their other beneficial uses in medicine. Barts and The London is one of the first and leading centres in the world to use this technology in urology.

Norma, from Waltham Abbey said:

"The stent has really made such a difference to my life. Without this metal tube, I'd have to be on dialysis. The stent now provides a secure and comfortable permanent drainage of my remaining kidney".

"Previously I was on a plastic alternative that needed replacing every 6 months which meant having general anaesthetic and spending three days in hospital every 6 months…