Robotic cross‐folded U‐configuration intracorporeal ileal neobladder for muscle‐invasive bladder cancer: Initial experience and functional outcomes

BACKGROUND: This study compared the surgical and urinary functional outcomes in patients with muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who underwent robot‐assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) followed by intracorporeal ileal neobladder reconstruction (ICNB) to those in patients who underwent minimum incision endoscopic radical cystectomy (MIE‐RC) followed by extracorporeal ileal neobladder reconstruction (ECNB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study reviewed the clinical records of 153 consecutive MIBC patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy and ileal neobladder reconstruction. RESULTS: The operative time in the ICNB group was significantly longer than that in the ECNB group. The median estimated blood loss was significantly less in the ICNB group than in the ECNB group. The neobladder capacity gradually increased in both groups. The maximum neobladder pressure and urethral closure pressure gradually improved in both groups. CONCLUSION: Our initial experience with ICNB was favourable, with acceptable surgical and urinary functional outcomes.