Complications in laparoscopic radical cystectomy: The South American experience with 59 cases

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we have gathered the second largest series yet published on laparoscopic radical cystectomy in order to evaluate the incidence and cause of intra and postoperative complication, conversion to open surgery, and patient mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1997 to 2005, 59 laparoscopic radical cystectomies were performed for the management of bladder cancer at 3 institutions in South America. Twenty nine patients received continent urinary diversion, including 25 orthotopic ileal neobladders and 4 Indiana pouches. Only one case of continent urinary diversion was performed completely intracorporeally. RESULTS: Mean operative time was 337 minutes (150-600). Estimated intraoperative blood loss was 488 mL (50-1500) and 12 patients (20 percent) required blood transfusion. All 7 (12 percent) intraoperative complications were vascular in nature, that is, 1 epigastric vessel injury, 2 injuries to the iliac vessels (1 artery and 1 vein), and 4 bleedings that occurred during the bladder pedicles control. Eighteen (30 percent) postoperative complications (not counting mortalities) occurred, including 3 urinary tract infections, 1 pneumonia, 1 wound infection, 5 ileus, 2 persistent chylous drainage, 3 urinary fistulas, and 3 (5 percent) postoperative complications that required surgical intervention (2 hernias - one in the port site and one in the extraction incision, and 1 bowel obstruction). One case (1.7 percent) was electively converted to open surgery due to a larger tumor that precluded proper posterior dissection. Two mortalities (3.3 percent) occurred in this series, one early mortality due to uncontrolled upper gastrointestinal bleeding and one late mortality following massive pulmonary embolism. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic radical cystectomy is a safe operation with morbidity and mortality rates comparable to the open surgery.

Aggressive vaginal angiomyxoma mimicking urethral tumor

This is a case report of a 32-year-old female patient with a neoplasia mimicking a urethral tumor. Following anterior pelvic exanteration, vulvectomy, bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy, the pathological study established the diagnosis of aggressive vaginal angiomyxoma, CD-34 labeled.

Stapleless laparoscopic assisted radical cystectomy with ileal neobladder in a male and with ileal loop in a female: initial report from Brazil

INTRODUCTION: Here, we report our initial experience with laparoscopic assisted radical cystectomy without the use of surgical staples. CASES REPORT: A 70 year old male and a 55 year old female were diagnosed to have T2G3 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder with negative metastatic work-out. both patients were scheduled and agreed to a laparoscopic assisted radical cystectomy. In both cases, urinary diversion (orthotopic ileal Studer neobladder in the male and ileal conduit in the female) was performed extracorporeally following radical cystectomy. In both cases control of the bladder vascular pediclewas accomplished with a combination of metallic and hem-o-lock clips. The total surgical time was 6.5 hours in both cases. Estimated intra-operative blood loss was 500 cc and 350 cc respectively, however both patients required postoperative blood transfusions. No intraoperative complications occurred. In both cases, pathology revealed negative surgical margins. CONCLUSIONS: Extracorporeal creation of urinary diversion decrease the overall operative time. Laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy can be performed following the extended template. The use of surgical clips instead of vascular Endo-GIA titanium staples to control the bladder vascular pedicles is feasible and safe in selected patients, thus reducing intraoperative surgical costs. Considerable experience with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is necessary before one attempts laparoscopic radical cystectomy.