Urological aspects of hemicorporectomy

The indications for hemicorporectomy are few. However, with improvements in surgical techniques, anaesthesia and post-operative surgical care, hemicorporectomy may again become a reasonable treatment for certain patients with malignancies of the pelvis. A 2-stage procedure is described which consists of an initial staging celiotomy with urinary and faecal diversions. A non-refluxing colon conduit is the preferred form of urinary diversion. The hemicorporectomy is performed approximately 2 weeks later. No complications were encountered in the post-operative period. Our experience and a review of the literature suggest that hemicorporectomy is a reasonable salvage procedure for certain patients with pelvic malignancies.