Subcutaneous urinary diversion: an alternative to percutaneous nephrostomy.

Nephrostomy has been the standard method of urinary diversion when placement of ureteral stents has failed in cancer patients. We describe our early experience with an alternative method of urinary diversion, the subcutaneous urinary diversion. This extra-anatomical urinary diversion was done in 5 patients during a 15-month interval. The diversion is created using a specially designed 7F double pigtail stent. The proximal end of the stent is inserted into the renal pelvis via a percutaneous nephrostomy puncture. A subcutaneous tunnel is created from the flank to the bladder down which the distal end of the stent is passed and via a suprapubic bladder puncture the stent is passed into the bladder. The stent is changed at 4-month intervals over a guide wire. Our early experience with this extra-anatomical method of urinary diversion suggests it to be a safe, effective and acceptable alternative to nephrostomy that improves quality of life.