Comparison beetwen open and laparoscopic radical cistectomy in a latin american reference center: perioperative and oncological results

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the differences of peri-operatory and oncological outcomes between Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy and Open Radical Cystectomy in our center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Overall, 50 patients were included in this non randomized match-pair analysis: 25 patients who had undergone Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy for invasive bladder cancer (Group-1) and 25 patients with similar characteristics who had undergone Open Radical Cystectomy (Group-2). The patients were operated from January 2005 to December 2012 in a single Institution. RESULTS: Mean operative time for groups 1 and 2 were 350 and 280 minutes (p=0.03) respectively. Mean blood loss was 330 mL for group 1 and 580 mL for group 2 (p=0.04). Intraoperative transfusion rate was 0% and 36% for groups 1 and 2 respectively (p=0.005). Perioperative complication rate was similar between groups. Mean time to oral intake was 2 days for group 1 and 3 days for group 2 (p=0.08). Median hospital stay was 7 days for group 1 and 13 for group 2 (p=0.04). There were no differences in positive surgical margins and overall survival, between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In a reference center with pelvic laparoscopic expertise, Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy may be considered a safe procedure with similar complication rate of Open Radical Cystectomy. Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy is more time consuming, with reduced bleeding and transfusion rate. Hospital stay seems to be shorter. Oncologically no difference was observed in our mid-term follow-up.