UROLOGICAL ASPECTS OF HEMICORPORECTOMY

The indications for hemicorporectomy are few. However, with improvemen ts in surgical techniques, anaesthesia and post-operative surgical car e, hemicorporectomy may again become a reasonable treatment for certai n patients with malignancies of the pelvis. A 2-stage procedure is des cribed which consists of an initial staging celiotomy with urinary and faecal diversions. A nonrefluxing colon conduit is the preferred form of urinary diversion. The hemicorporectomy is performed approximately 2 weeks later. No complications were encountered in the post-operativ e period. Our experience and a review of the literature suggest that h emicorporectomy is a reasonable salvage procedure for certain patients with pelvic malignancies.