Best evidence summary on gastrointestinal function recovery after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer

To summarize the best available evidence on gastrointestinal function recovery in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.

A systematic search was conducted following the Evidence-Based Health care Pyramid 5.0, covering major academic databases, professional society websites, and clinical decision support tools. Literature published up to March 31, 2025, was included. Two independent reviewers assessed the quality of included studies and extracted relevant evidence.

Nine articles were included, comprising four clinical guidelines and five expert consensuses. The overall methodological quality was high. A total of 18 evidence items were identified, spanning the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of care.

This review identified 18 evidence-based recommendations for gastrointestinal recovery after radical cystectomy by integrating Enhanced Recovery After Surgery concepts with traditional Chinese medicine techniques. These findings offer practical references for nursing care, while future studies are needed to support evidence implementation and improve outcomes.

This study was registered in the Fudan University Centre for Evidence-based Nursing (Registration No. ES20257819).