Current status and outcomes of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy and urinary diversion

Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RARC) has emerged as a viable treatment option for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer and select patients with high-risk nonmuscle invasive disease. Operative, perioperative, and intermediate-term oncologic outcomes for RARC from multiple single-institution reports and from multi-institutional studies appear promising. Long-term oncologic outcomes for RARC should be forthcoming in the years ahead. As technology improves, total intracorporeal urinary diversion may become easier to perform and less time-consuming. This article aims to review the most recent developments within the past 1 to 2 years surrounding RARC, important technical nuances for performing this operation, and the future direction of RARC.