Urinary diversion

Rerouting urine flow

A surgical procedure that reroutes the normal flow of urine out of the body

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020 7079 4344

About managing urinary flow

When your bladder is removed during a radical cystectomy, an alternative way of passing urine out of your kidneys needs to be found.

There are a number of treatments available. In some cases you may be able to make a choice based on your personal preference, and the support of your consultant.

Need to know

  • What happens during treatment? icon plus

    Urostomy

    A small hole will be made on one side of your abdominal wall, which will be the site of the stoma. A section of your small bowel is detached with its blood supply, connected to the ureters at one end and forms the stoma at the other. A pouch is connected to the stoma to collect urine.

    Continent urinary diversion

     A section of your bowel will be used to create an internal pouch to store urine. You'll be able to empty the pouch by inserting a catheter into the continent which drains away urine.

    Bladder reconstruction

    A section of your bowel will be formed into a bladder-like sac, before being connected to the urethra at one end and ureters at the other. This is called a neobladder.

  • How to prepare icon plus

    Urinary diversion is a major type of abdominal surgery. You will need to undergo bowel preparation with special laxatives and enemas, which will be explained to you beforehand. You will be admitted at least one day before surgery.

    Your consultant will tell you how best to prepare and how long you'll be cared for by us in hospital. Like all procedures, there may be some risks and side effects involved. Your consultant will explain these to you.

  • After surgery icon plus

    After urinary diversion surgery it can take up to three months to recover. Your consultant will let you know when you can expect to get back to your usual routine, including exercise and work.

Paying for medical treatment

You don’t need health insurance to have fast access to our top consultants, extensive range of treatments, diagnostic tests and surgical procedures at our world-class facilities.

More about self funding your treatment

Our urology consultants

We're proud to work with leading urology experts across a range of medical fields, whose skills are matched by their integrity and compassion.

Our urology locations

From complex bladder surgery to diagnostic tests, scans and minor procedures, we provide exceptional urology care across our network of hospitals, outpatient centres and specialist clinics.

Book an appointment

Our team can help with any enquiries or you can make an appointment with one of our experienced consultants.

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This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.
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