Laparoscopic radical cystectomy with continent urinary diversion (rectal sigmoid pouch) performed completely...

We present our experience with the first 5 patients who underwent radical cystectomy with bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy and continent urinary diversion (rectal sigmoid pouch) performed with an intracorporeal laparoscopic technique at our center.

There were 3 males and 2 females 59 to 65 years old with organ confined, muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder who underwent surgery. The procedure included pelvic lymph node dissection, radical cystectomy with prostate or uterus and tubal structures, creation of the rectal sigmoid pouch and bilateral stented antireflux implantation of the ureters into the pouch. Freehand laparoscopic suturing and in situ knot tying techniques were used exclusively. The mobilized specimens were removed in an endoscopy bag via the rectum or vagina. Laparotomy was not required.

Operating time was 6.9 to 7.9 hours (median 7.4) and blood loss was 190 to 300 ml. (median 245). None of the 5 patients none needed blood transfusion. Oral intake was started on hospital day 3, ureteral stents were removed on day 8 and the pouch catheter was removed on day 9. The hospital stay was 10 days for all cases. Histopathological examination of the specimens revealed stage pT1 G3 urothelial carcinoma in case 1, pT2b G2 in cases 2 and 3, pT3a G2 in case 4 and pT3aG3 in case 5. The lymph nodes and resection margins were tumor-free. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed.

To our knowledge, this is the first series of laparoscopic radical cystectomy with intracorporeal continent urinary diversion (rectal sigmoid pouch), and our results are promising. With more experience and improvement of the surgical technique, laparoscopic radical cystectomy with continent urinary diversion may become an alternative surgical method for treating select patients with localized muscle invasive bladder cancer.