Urinary diversion

Abstract

The past 30 years have seen unprecedented advances in lower urinary reconstruction in children. The majority of congenital urologic abnormalities can now be addressed by primary reconstruction with the exception of urinary and fecal continence. These procedures can be performed even in small infants. Thus, the need for permanent conduit diversion with the storage receptacle outside the body as a bag has dwindled, and is now used primarily in children who can never live an independent lifestyle. In children where permanent urinary diversion is required, it is nearly always with a continent urinary reservoir that is then emptied by intermittent catheterization. This chapter will focus primarily on continent urinary reservoirs (CURs).