Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy and Modified Y-Shaped Ileal Orthotopic Neobladder Reconstruction

BACKGROUND: Orthotopic neobladder reconstruction has become the preferred method of urinary diversion after radical cystectomy in major medical centers. We performed modified Y-shaped ileal orthotopic neobladder reconstruction and presented the functional results and postoperative complications of the modified surgery. METHODS: We included 21 patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy at our center between February 2019 and December 2019. All patients underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy and lymph node dissection plus modified Y-shaped ileal orthotopic neobladder reconstruction. We collected the demographic and pathological history of the patients, and perioperative and postoperative functional outcomes and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: All surgeries were successful and no serious postoperative complications occurred. The mean operative time was 321.43 ± 54.75 min, including 101.67 ± 10.88 min required for neobladder reconstruction. Liquid intake was encouraged about 5 days after surgery, stent and catheter were removed after 13.52 ± 3.28 days, and the patients were discharged 1–2 days after removing the catheter. No ureteral anastomotic and neobladder urethral anastomotic strictures occurred. The volume of the neobladder at 1-year post-surgery was 195.24 ± 16.07 mL and the maximum urinary flow rate was 20.64 ± 2.22 mL/s. CONCLUSION: We describe the robotic-assisted modified Y-shaped ileal orthotopic neobladder reconstruction performed at our center, which requires a simple suture and short neobladder construction time, minimizes the occurrence of anastomotic stenosis, facilitates smooth patient emptying, and is clinically scalable and applicable.