[Open vs Laparoscopic Radical Cystectomy: Comparison of perioperative and Mid-term oncological outcomes.]

To compare peri-operative and mid-term oncological outcomes between Open radical cystectomy (ORC) and Laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC).

A retrospective cohort was assembled, in which 182 patients had been subjected consecutively to Radical Cystectomy (RC) for treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) between 2000 and 2010 in a single center. Two cohorts were included: ORC (n=83) and LRC (n=99). All the RCs were performed by the same surgeon. Perioperatory complications were registered according to Clavien-Dindo classification. We evaluated recurrence-free survival, cancer-specific survival and association between the surgical technique performed and disease recurrence, with co-variable adjustment.

Clinical and pathologic characteristics were similar for both groups. Significant differences were observed between the two groups, regarding blood loss, operative time and hospitalization days (p<0.04). The ORC group displayed 27 (32.5%) Clavien I-II cases, vs. 11 (11.1%) in the LRC group. Four Clavien≥III (4.8%) complications were reported in the ORC, vs. 7 (7%) in the LRC group (NS). Mean follow-up time for patients without recurrence was 23 months (12-48). A total of 60 patients (72.3%) showed recurrence in the ORC group, compared to 59 (59.6%) in the LRC group. Cumulative cancer-specific mortality index, stratified by surgical technique, was similar between both groups (p.-0.9).

Based on our experience, LRC showed advantages in intraoperative bleeding and length of hospital stay with no difference in major complications between both groups. Mid-term oncological control, regarding local recurrence and cancer-specific survival, showed no significant difference between LRC and ORC in the management of MIBC.