Get free help & advice: 0800 592 786
Sally Wright has worked as a Stoma Care Nurse for over 15 years, providing specialist care, education, and support to individuals recovering from stoma surgery within the community. Sally recognises that every patient’s recovery journey is unique, and she has a particular interest in the psychological aspects of adapting to life with a stoma. Her previous role as a Dermatology Sister highlighted the importance of emotional wellbeing whilst coming to terms with changes to our bodies and the impact on self esteem.
A urostomy is a type of ostomy surgery that creates a new route for urine. Instead of travelling from your kidneys to your bladder and out through your urethra, urine leaves through a stoma on your abdomen. The stoma is a small, pink opening, and the urine collects in a urostomy bag worn on the outside of your body.
A urostomy is usually permanent, especially if your bladder has been removed. Your surgeon and stoma care nurse will explain what it means for you. A urostomy changes a lot at first, but with time, most people return to work, travel and other activities that they enjoy.
Urine is made continuously by your kidneys and travels down two tubes called ureters. With a urostomy, the ureters are connected to a short piece of bowel (or, less often, directly to the skin) that leads to the stoma.
As the stoma has no muscle, you can’t control when urine comes out. It drains all the time, a bit like a gentle tap. That’s why you wear a urostomy pouch at all times to collect it.
A urostomy bag, also called a urostomy pouch, urostomy stoma bag or urinary stoma bag, is a small, waterproof pouch that sticks to the skin around your stoma and collects urine. The terms all mean the same thing.
Urostomy bags differ from bags for other stoma types in a few ways:
At night, many people connect their pouch to a larger drainage bag next to the bed, so urine drains while they sleep and they don’t have to get up to empty it.
A urostomy is created when urine can no longer drain in the usual way. This can happen for several reasons:
Your care team will explain why surgery is recommended in your case.
Before the operation: Your surgeon and stoma care nurse will explain what will happen, and you’ll have time to ask questions. They will often help you choose and mark the best place for your stoma, usually on a flat area of your abdomen that you can see and reach easily.
During the operation: You’re given a general anaesthetic, so you’re asleep and feel no pain. If your bladder is being removed, this is usually done first. The surgeon then creates the new route for urine and brings the stoma out through your abdominal wall. Depending on your situation, the surgery is done as open surgery or as keyhole (laparoscopic or robotic) surgery.
After the operation: You stay in hospital while your care team monitors your recovery. A clear pouch is usually attached at first, so the team can see your stoma and your urine. Your stoma care nurse will teach you how to empty and change your ostomy pouch and how to look after your peristomal skin before you go home.
The type of urostomy depends on your medical situation. Your surgeon will explain which one is right for you.
The ileal conduit is the most common type of urostomy. It’s also called an ileal diversion or ileal conduit urinary diversion. A short piece of the ileum (the end of your small intestine) is used as a channel. The ureters are connected to one end, and the other end is brought through your abdominal wall to form the stoma. Urine then flows continuously into the pouch. The bowel itself is reconnected, so digestion carries on as before.
An ileal conduit is generally a simpler operation than a continent urostomy, and it’s reliable and straightforward to manage day to day.
A colonic conduit works in the same way as an ileal conduit, but the channel is made from a piece of the colon instead of the small intestine.
In a cutaneous ureterostomy, one or both ureters are connected directly to the skin of your abdomen, without a piece of bowel in between. It’s a less common type, and it may be considered when a shorter, less complex operation is preferred. Sometimes a small tube (stent) is used to keep the ureter open.
With a continent urostomy (also called a continent cutaneous urinary diversion), a reservoir is made from a piece of your bowel and stays inside your body. You don’t wear a urostomy bag. Instead, you empty the reservoir through the stoma with a thin tube called a catheter, usually every few hours. Your care team will teach you how.
This gives more independence in daily life, but it needs a regular routine, and it isn’t suitable for everyone. Talk openly with your surgeon about whether it is an option for you.
A neobladder is a reservoir made from bowel that sits inside your body and connects to your urethra, so you pass urine through the urethra. It’s a form of urinary diversion, but there’s no stoma, so it isn’t a urostomy in the strict sense. It’s a more complex operation that is only done in specific cases.
A stoma for a urostomy is usually round or oval, pink to red, moist and soft, a bit like the inside of your cheek. It may stick out slightly or sit flat against your skin, and it looks a little different from person to person.
In the first weeks, the stoma is swollen and may look red or even bruised. The swelling goes down over about six weeks, and the stoma becomes smaller. That’s why your pouch opening may need to be adjusted during this time.
Good to know:
Getting used to a urostomy is both a physical and an emotional challenge. Some people feel relief and discover a new quality of life, while others struggle to accept the change at first. Both reactions are completely normal.
Your body isn’t less valuable or less beautiful because of your urostomy. Give yourself time. Many people spend a few days in hospital after surgery, and recovery at home takes longer. How long depends on your operation and your general health, so follow your care team’s advice. Walking a little more each day helps your recovery, and it’s an important part of getting back on your feet.
Counselling and support groups can help you process your feelings and rebuild your confidence. Talking to other people who live with a stoma can be especially helpful. Your stoma care nurse can point you to support in your area. We've also have a respective guide on the first 6 months after your surgery here.
Looking after your stoma and the skin around it is the foundation of long-term comfort. Because urine flows constantly, the skin is exposed to moisture and is more prone to irritation and infection. A consistent, gentle stoma skin care routine protects it.
Emptying your pouch: Empty it before it gets too full, ideally when it’s about one-third to half full. A heavy pouch can pull on the seal and lead to stoma leakage.
Changing your pouch: Most people change their pouch about every 24 to 48 hours. This depends on the product, your skin and the shape of your stoma, so follow the guidance for your pouching system and ask your stoma care nurse for tips.
Looking after your peristomal skin:
Getting a good fit: A close fit around the stoma keeps urine off your skin. Your stoma changes size in the first weeks, so measure it regularly and cut the opening to fit, rather than guessing. If you have frequent leaks, sore skin or trouble keeping the pouch on, talk to your stoma care nurse. Different baseplates, pouch shapes and skin barrier products can help.
Night drainage: If you use a night drainage bag, follow the cleaning and replacement instructions you were given.
A urostomy has less impact on your diet than some other stoma types. Most people don’t need a special long-term diet and can return to their normal foods fairly quickly. If you were given a diet for another health condition, keep following it. If you need guidance on stoma diet, follow this guide.
Some foods and medicines can change the colour or smell of your urine for a short time. Beetroot can make urine look pink, for example, and asparagus can give it a stronger smell. These effects are harmless and temporary.
The most important thing is to drink enough. Fluids keep urine flowing through your urostomy and help keep your urinary tract healthy.
Aim to drink about 2 to 3 litres of fluid a day, spread through the day, unless your care team has told you to limit fluids. Water and unsweetened drinks are ideal.
Your urine colour is a good guide. Pale, clear urine usually means you’re drinking enough, and dark urine can be a sign of dehydration.
If part of your bowel was used for your urostomy, your care team may also check your vitamin and nutrient levels over time, and arrange regular follow-up appointments. Keep these appointments, even when you feel well.
Exercise with a stoma is important, a urostomy doesn’t stop you from being active. After a recovery period, and once your care team has given you the go-ahead, you can do almost any sport that feels comfortable.
A urostomy pouch doesn’t prevent intimacy, but it can take time to feel comfortable. Many people feel better if they empty the pouch beforehand and make sure it’s secure. Pouch covers or supportive clothing can also help. Surgery for urinary diversion, particularly when the bladder is removed, can affect sexual function. If you have pain, difficulties or worries, talk to your care team. There are treatments and practical strategies that can help, and you don’t need to put up with problems.
Managing a urostomy can be emotionally challenging, and you’re not alone. Talking with your stoma care nurse, family or people who understand can make a real difference. Here's a more comprehensive guide on intimacy and dating with a stoma.
Contact your stoma care nurse, doctor or care team if you notice:
Seek urgent medical help if your stoma turns dark, becomes very painful or stops working, or if you have a continent urostomy and can’t pass the catheter through the stoma.
A urostomy is an operation that reroutes your urinary system so urine leaves your body through a stoma on your abdomen instead of through your bladder and urethra. It’s needed when the bladder has been removed, no longer works, or has to be bypassed for medical reasons. After surgery, urine drains continuously from the stoma into a pouch.
A urostomy bag (also called a urostomy pouch, urostomy stoma bag or urinary stoma bag) is a waterproof pouch that sticks to the skin around your stoma and collects urine. It has a drain at the bottom, so you can empty it into the toilet without taking it off.
You still get rid of urine, but not in the way you did before. With the most common types of urostomy, urine drains continuously from the stoma into the pouch, so there is no conscious process like normal urination. You empty the pouch several times a day as it fills.
A colostomy diverts stool (not urine) through your abdominal wall. Part of the colon forms the stoma, and the stool is usually firmer and more predictable. A urostomy diverts urine through a stoma, usually made with a short piece of small bowel, and the urine flows continuously and involuntarily into a pouch. Both need special pouches and daily care, but the medical needs and everyday challenges are different.
An ileal conduit (also called an ileal diversion or conduit urinary diversion) is the most common type of urostomy. A short piece of the small intestine is used as a channel that carries urine from the ureters to the stoma and out into the pouch.
Empty it when it’s about one-third to half full, which can be every few hours, and more often if you drink a lot. Most people change the pouch itself about every 24 to 48 hours. The right interval depends on your pouch, your skin and your stoma, so ask your stoma care nurse.
In most cases, yes, especially when the bladder has been removed. Your surgeon can explain what to expect in your situation.
Urine flows all the time, so you wear a urostomy pouch at all times and empty it several times a day. With the right clothing, a urostomy is invisible under your clothes. With practice, changing and emptying the pouch becomes a habit that takes just a few minutes.
An ileostomy is a surgical procedure where the small intestine is brought to the surface of your abdomen. The result is a stoma: an opening in your abdominal wall through which waste passes into a special pouch. In this guide, you'll learn how the surgery works, the different types of ileostomies, how to manage your nutrition and stoma care, plus practical tips for staying active with an ostomy.
Read article
A colostomy changes many things at first glance, but it doesn't have to change your quality of life. In this guide, you'll learn what types of colostomies exist, when they're necessary, how to manage your nutrition and care for your stoma, plus practical tips for staying active and enjoying life.
Read article
Choosing your first stoma appliance can feel overwhelming, especially with so many pouching systems, sizes, and accessories to consider. There's no single "perfect" bag — the right one depends on your stoma, body, and lifestyle, and finding it often takes some trial and adjustment. This guide covers the basics to help you feel more prepared.
Read article
