Enhanced recovery programmes for patients undergoing radical cystectomy

Radical cystectomy is associated with high rates of surgical morbidity. The magnitude of the surgical insult is associated with the degree of stress response, particularly in ageing patients with multiple comorbidities. Attempts to limit this response and identify areas of improvement with respect to patient selection and optimization, anaesthesia, surgical technique and postoperative care underpin the multimodal approach to enhanced recovery pathways. No single intervention significantly reduces morbidity, but the combination of many interventions at all levels of the pathway is likely to accelerate the patient journey from diagnosis to return to normal function.