Urinary diversion is performed on a regular basis in urological practice. Surgeons tend to
underestimate the metabolic effects of any type of diversion. From the patient's perspective, diarrhea
is the most bothersome complaint after urinary diversion. This might be accompanied by
malabsorption syndromes, such as vitamin B12 deficiency. Electrolyte abnormalities can occur
frequently such as hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, or less frequently such as hypokalemia,
hypocalcaemia, and hypomagnesaemia. Bone health is at risk in patients with urinary diversion. Some
patients might benefit from vitamin D and calcium supplementation. Many patients are also subject
to urinary calculus formation, both at the level of the upper urinary tract as in intestinal reservoirs.
Urinary diversion can affect hepatic metabolism, certainly in the presence of urea-splitting bacteria.
The kidney function has to be monitored prior to and lifelong after urinary diversion. Screening for
reversible causes of renal deterioration is an integral part of the followup.