We comprehensively reviewed the published literature on urinary diversion, specifically examining the surgical complications associated with conduit, continent cutaneous diversion and orthotopic urinary diversion. Appropriate patient selection and adherence to proper surgical technique are of paramount importance in preventing surgical complications of urinary diversion. Complications can be broadly divided into those related to bowel, conduit or reservoir, stoma and ureterointestinal anastomosis. Each type of urinary diversion has unique characteristics predisposing to certain surgical complications as well as similarities related to intestinal surgery. With conduit urinary diversions, problems related to the stoma such as stomal stenosis and parastomal hernia present not uncommonly. With continent cutaneous diversion, complications include difficulties with catheterizing of the efferent limb, formation of pouch stones and urinary leakage. With orthotopic neobladder formation, voiding dysfunction manifesting as incontinence or hypercontinence may present unique challenges in patient management. Increased surgical experience and technical refinements have led to decreasing surgical complication rates for all types of diversion in contemporary series.