What is an Indiana Pouch?

An Indiana Pouch is a type of continent urinary diversion that is most commonly done after a patient is diagnosed with bladder cancer.  Not all bladder cancers require this type of surgery. But, when conservative treatments fail and surgery is needed to remove the bladder, the Indiana Pouch is what most patients will get.

When the bladder is removed, surgeons need to divert urine to another part of the body.  Surgeons make an internal pouch using a part of the colon and small intestine.  This pouch is connected to the abdomen and a stoma is formed so that the patient can empty their new bladder with a catheter.  Not all urinary diversions are managed with a pouch. For this reason, ostomy professionals need to learn about catheters and how to manage these types of diversions.

To learn more about urinary diversions and ostomy management, check out our ostomy management certification course .

Jeffrey Despommier, OTR, OMS, CUA, ATP

About the author – Jeffrey is an occupational therapist with over 15 years of rehabilitation experience. He is board certified as a urologic associate and ostomy management specialist.  He also specializes in complex rehab technology and is board certified as an assistive technology professional.