Which statement describes a common characteristic of Indiana pouch and Mitrofanoff procedures?

• A. They both require an external ostomy bag
• B. They both function as continent diversions requiring catheterization
• C. They do not involve bowel tissue
• D. They cannot store urine long term

Answer: (B)

The shared idea is that both procedures create a continent urinary diversion that stores urine and requires catheterization to empty. Indiana pouch uses a segment of bowel to form a reservoir inside the abdomen, while the Mitrofanoff creates a catheterizable channel (often using the appendix) to drain the bladder reservoir through an abdominal opening. In both cases, urine is stored between catheterizations and does not require a continuous external ostomy bag. This is why they’re described as continent diversions needing intermittent catheterization. External bags are not needed for these diversions, they do involve bowel tissue, and they are designed to store urine between catheterizations.