Urostomy is a common type of surgery used in the treatment of bladder cancer. There are two types: ileal conduit (the more common type) and cutaneous ureterostomy. If your urinary system...

There are 2 basic options for urostomy surgery, often called urinary diversion. The 2 types are named for how the pathway that allows urine to pass from the body is diverted (re-routed or changed) during the procedure. Many factors must be considered when deciding which type of surgery is needed.

Is urostomy the same as urinary diversion? A urostomy is a type of incontinent urinary diversion. A urostomy is when a surgeon makes an opening in your abdominal wall so that pee can pass through. The pee goes into a bag you wear under your clothes (ostomy bag).

If you have an ileal or colonic conduit, you will drain urine continuously into a bag attached to the stoma (called an ostomy bag). If you have a continent urostomy, you will have scheduled times that you need to drain your pouch with a plastic tube called a catheter.