Urinary tract infections in patients with urinary diversion.

Several surgical techniques have been used to provide urinary diversion after radical cystectomy. The noncontinent type of urinary diversion (using an intestinal conduit) and the continent urinary diversion (ureterosigmoidostomy or construction of an intestinal pouch that serves as a deposit of urine) were used commonly in the past, leading to a cumulative considerable number of patients encountered in clinical practice. The orthotopic urinary diversion (neobladder) has been used widely during the last years. The incidence and characteristics of urinary tract infection in patients with different types of urinary diversion are reviewed. Clinicians should be aware that urinary tract infection is a frequent cause of fever in patients with urinary diversion because it occurs in a significant proportion. In addition, symptoms from the lower urinary tract may not be prominent in this population.