Hyperbilirubinemia after single-stage radical cystectomy and ileal loop diversion

One hundred ninety-two patients underwent single-stage radical cystectomy and ileal loop diversion over a three-year period. Postoperative hyperbilirubinemia occurred in 21 patients (10.9%) within the first ten days. Early hyperbilirubinemia occurred in 11 patients by postoperative day 5, accounting for 52 percent of the hyperbilirubinemic patients and 5.7 percent of the study population. Elevation persisted into the six to ten-day postoperative period for 9 at which time a total of 18 patients had bilirubin levels elevated above their presurgical values (P less than 0.001). This clinical observation appears to be benign and worthy of further investigation.