Lymphadenectomy with robotic cystectomy

It is now established that an experienced, dedicated robotic surgeon can perform a high quality extended template pelvic lymph node dissection at the time of robot-assisted radical cystectomy. The evidence for this conclusion can be seen in comparing absolute lymph node counts, percent positive lymph nodes, and oncologic outcomes from N1 patients. In this report, we outline the endpoints of study for this question, and report recent data on efforts to advance robot-assisted urinary diversion, cost-focused studies, and standardized complication reporting. These studies demonstrate maintenance of adequate lymph node dissections while advancing the goal of reducing morbidity for patients needing radical cystectomy for invasive disease.