A dual‐centre, cohort comparison of open, laparoscopic and robotic‐assisted radical cystectomy

Summary Introduction:  The role of minimally invasive radical cystectomy as opposed to open surgery for bladder cancer is not yet established. We present comparative outcomes of open, laparoscopic and robotic‐assisted radical cystectomy Material and Methods:  Prospective cohort comparison of 158 patients from 2003–2008 undergoing open radical cystectomy (ORC) ( n  = 52), laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) ( n  = 58) or robotic‐assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) ( n  = 48) performed by a team of three surgeons at two hospitals. Peri‐operative data, complication rates, length of hospital stay, oncological outcome (including lymph node status) and survival were recorded. Statistical analyses were adjusted to account for potential confounding factors such as ASA grade, gender, age, diversion type and final histology. Results:  RARC took longer than LRC and ORC. Patients were about 30 times more likely to have a transfusion if they had ORC than if they had RARC (p < 0.0001) and about eight times more likely to have a transfusion if they had LRC compared with RARC (p < 0.006). Patients were four times more likely to have a transfusion if they had ORC as compared with LRC (p < 0.007). Patients were four times more likely to have complications if they had ORC than RARC (p = 0.006) and about three times more likely to have complications with LRC than with RARC (p = 0.02). Hospital stay was mean 19 days after ORC, 16 days after LRC and 10 days after RARC. Conclusions:  Despite study limitations, RARC had the lowest transfusion and complication rates and the shortest length of stay, although taking the longest to perform.