The paper presents the history of technique and concepts of urinary diversion to colon and rectum from the mid-XIXth century until today, including the contribution of Polish surgeons--Kryński, Laskownicki and Kiełkiewicz. Contraindications and complications of this type of definitive urinary diversion is briefly discussed. Authors also present the outcome of ureterosigmoidostomy performed according to method proposed by Goodwin in 25 patients cystectomized for infiltrating transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, who were operated on at the Department of Urology, Medical School in Warsaw. These patients were in poor general condition and short life expectancy, which depended upon tumour stage and grade as well as preoperative urographic evaluation of urinary tract.