What is Urostomy?

A urostomy allows urine to pass out of the body through a stoma (small hole) in the abdomen. A tube is connected from the urinary system to the stoma. Urine passes through the tube into an external pouch. Sometimes, an internal pouch, or neobladder, can be created.

Kidneys, Ureters, and Bladder © 2009 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

A urostomy tube may be needed if urine can no longer pass from the kidneys through the bladder and out the urethra. If this occurs, urine can back up. This can cause damage to the kidneys. Causes for this include:

• Bladder cancer
• Birth defect
• Chronic inflammation
• Nerve-muscle control problems

Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have a urostomy, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Skin irritations
• Fluid build-up in the abdomen
• Urine flow blockage
• Damage to other organs
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Blood clots
• Adverse reaction to the anesthesia (eg, light-headedness, low blood pressure, wheezing)

Factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Smoking
• Obesity
• Previous surgery or radiation in the area

Call Your Doctor

After you leave the hospital, call your doctor if any of the following occurs:

• Signs of infection, including fever and chills
• Pain in the back
• Poor appetite *...