Laparoscopic and Open Radical Cystectomy: Comparative Short-Term Outcomes from a Single-Center Experience

Background: Bladder cancer accounts for 3.0% of new cancer cases and 2.1%
of cancer-related deaths. The standard treatment for bladder cancer is open
radical cystectomy (ORC) with pelvic lymphadenectomy. But associated with
morbidity exceeds 50% in specialized centers. Laparoscpic radical cystectomy
(LRC) has lower rate of complications while achieving oncological outcomes
comparable to open surgery.
Objective: To compare short-term outcomes of patients with bladder cancer
submitted to ORC and LRC as regard oncologic safety, intraoperative and
postoperative morbidity and mortality
Methods: Retrospective analysis involved 309 patients with bladder cancer
underwent either open or laparoscopic radical cystectomy. the patients were
divided into two groups:
• Group 1: 89 patients who had (LRC).
• Group 2: 220 patients who had (ORC).
Results: Our study demonstrated notable differences in outcomes between the
two methods. The open technique associated with greater intraoperative blood
loss, higher need for blood transfusions and shorter operating time, whereas the
laparoscopic procedure significantly reduced bleeding, shorter hospital stay,
quicker overall recovery.
Both methods exhibited similar rates of minor and major complications, with no
significant differences. Pathological evaluations, including tumor staging,
lymph node retrieval, and margin status, were equivalent, indicating that the
laparoscopic approach maintains oncologic safety while offering better
perioperative benefits than the open technique.
Conclusion: In conclusion, Laparoscopic radical cystectomy offers a safe
minimally invasive alternative to open surgery and LRC is oncologically not
inferior to ORC.