Simplified urinary diversion in patients with preexisting or imminent colostomy

The indications for urinary and fecal diversion often mirror each other and at times overlap. Between 1980 and 1990 we encountered 14 patients with preexisting or newly diagnosed rectosigmoid disease who required diverting colostomy and urinary diversion. We describe a simple method for managing urinary diversion in these patients, which avoids a bowel anastomosis. The preexisting or newly created colostomy is used as the urinary stoma for a colon conduit, while a proximal colostomy is created for fecal diversion. This technique has proved to be beneficial and should be considered for high risk patients who require urinary and fecal diversion, and for whom an abbreviated operation would be desired.