A urostomy is a surgical procedure that diverts urine away from a diseased or defective bladder. The most common types of urostomies are ileal and cecal conduit procedures. In these procedures, a section of the ileum (end of the small bowel) or cecum (beginning of the large intestine) is removed and used as a passageway (conduit) for urine to flow from the kidneys to the outside of the body through a stoma. This surgery may also involve the removal of the diseased urinary bladder. In some cases, the ureters are brought directly out to the abdominal wall, creating a ureterostomy.
Urostomies are performed to address defects or problems in the urinary system that require removal or bypass. This surgery is necessary to ensure proper urine elimination when the bladder or other parts of the urinary system are not functioning correctly.
Ileal Conduit Urostomy: In an ileal conduit urostomy, a segment of the ileum is used to create a passageway for urine. This method effectively diverts urine from the kidneys to an external stoma, bypassing the bladder entirely.
Cecal Conduit Urostomy: A cecal conduit urostomy involves using a portion of the cecum to form the conduit. Similar to the ileal conduit, this procedure ensures urine is directed from the kidneys to an external stoma.
Common Reasons for a Urostomy Urostomies are performed for various reasons related to urinary system defects or diseases. Babies may be born with urinary system defects, while adults might require urostomy surgery due to neurological disorders causing severe incontinence or bladder cancer.
Daily Life with a Urostomy
The flow of urine from a urostomy is continuous, necessitating the use of a urostomy bag with a tap. This bag needs to be emptied several times a day. The urine may contain some mucus, which is normal. At night, the urostomy bag is usually connected to a night drainage bag to ensure continuous urine collection while sleeping.