Patent ID: 6849069

Claim:
A ureteral stent for assisting flow of urine, the stent comprising: i. an elongated tubular segment extending from an upper region including at least a first opening to a lower region having an external surface and including at least a second opening, the lower region having a length sufficient to be positioned in a ureter when the ureteral stent is in use, and defining a lumen extending therethrough connecting the first opening to the second opening; ii. a coiled end region extending distally from the upper region of the tubular segment to be positioned substantially in a kidney when the ureteral stent is in use; and iii. a thin flexible elongated tail having an external urine-transport surface, the thin flexible tail being substantially straight and tapering to a smaller outer diameter as it transitions from the lower region of the tubular segment so as to receive urine from the lower region of the tubular segment and to transport the urine along the urine-transport surface, and including a transition from the external surface of the lower region of the tubular segment to the urine-transport surface of the thin flexible tail that is continuous.