Last updated: 02/17/2009

Ileal conduit surgery is recommended depending on what conditions are being treated; whether the urinary diversion is immediately necessary; for the relief of pain or discomfort; or for relatively healthy individuals or individuals with terminal illness....

Three major decisions that must be made by the physician and patient include:

• The type of surgery to restore bladder function: either by sending urine through the ureters to a new repository fashioned in the rectum, or by creating a conduit for the removal of the urine out through the stomach wall and into a permanent storage pouch, or ostomy outside the body.
• The type of material out of which to fashion the reservoir or conduit.
• Where to place the stoma outlet for patient use.

Recent research has shown there is little difference in infection rates or in renal deterioration between the conduit surgical techniques and the continent techniques. The patient's preference becomes important as to which type of surgery and resulting procedures for urination they want. Of course, some patients, unable to conduct catheterization due to debilitating diseases like multiple sclerosis or neurological injuries, should be encouraged to have the reservoir or continent procedures.

Materials for fashioning continent channels have included sections of the appendix, stomach, ileum and cecum of the intestines, and for the reservoir, sigmoid and ureter tissues, usually with an anti-refluxing mechanism to maximize continence. A segment of the ileum is often preferred, unless the tissue has received radiation. In this case, other tissue must be used. Ileum is preferred because the ileal tissue of the intestines accommodates larger urine volume at lower pressure.

Many urinary diversion procedures are performed in conjunction with surgery for recurrent cancer or complications of pelvic radiation. Fistula development and repeated repair as well as ureteral obstruction also are reasons to have the surgery. If the surgery is considered because of cancer, the physician and the patient need to discuss how appropriate the surgery is for cure or for relieving pain. Highly relevant are the patient's age, medical condition, and ability to comprehend both the procedure and the patient's role in the changed state that will result with the surgery. In general, ileal conduit surgery is easier, faster, and has fewer complications than continent reservoir surgery.

In addition to these considerations, great emphasis must be put on preparing the patient psychologically, and physicians must make themselves available for counseling and questions before proceeding with patient evaluation for the procedures. The renal system must be assessed using pylography, which is the visualization of the renal pelvis of the kidneys to determine the health of each renal system. Patients with renal disease or abnormalities are not good candidates for urinary diversion. Bowel preparation and prophylactic antibiotics are necessary to avoid infection with the surgery. Bowel preparation includes injecting a clear-liquid diet preoperatively for two days, followed by using a cleansing enema or enemas until the bowel runs clear. The importance of these preparations must be explained to the patient: leaking from the bowel during surgery can be life threatening. For ileal conduits, the placement of the stoma must be decided. This is accomplished after the physician evaluates the patient's abdomen in both a sitting and standing position, to avoid placing the stoma in a fatty fold of the abdomen. The input from a stomal therapist is important for this preparation with the patient.