We assessed the quality of life in two different types of urinary diversion ; ileal conduit and orthotopic ileal neobladder through well-validated questionnaire in patients with invasive bladder cancer.

From February 1992 to February 2000, we used a questionnaire consisted of questions about occupational activity, travel, sexual activity, relationship with partner, global satisfactions, etc. in ileal conduit group and orthotopic ileal neobladder group. This questionnaire was scored according to distress from 1 point to 4 point(1 point-no problem, 2 point-a little, 3 point-much, 4 point-very much).

Numbers of patients in ileal conduit group and orthotopic neobladder group were 10 and 6, respectively. Mean age and follow-up period in each group was 72+21 years old, 32+31 month in ileal conduit group, and 55+10 years old. 18+12 months in orthotopic neobladder group. Quality of life in each group showed differences in keeping their jobs, having relationships with others, satisfaction rates about the type of diversion which they have, and overall satisfaction rates.

Even through our data is small in number and relatively short-term in follow-up duration, there are meaningful differences in quality of life and its overall satisfaction rate between ileal conduit group and orthetopic neobladder group. We suggest that it is recommendable to consider not only the surgical outcome but also patients' postoperative quality of life when deciding the type of urinary diversion in advanced bladder cancer patients.