Can robotic-assisted radical cystectomy provide patients with a smaller trauma and faster recovery period? A systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative trials

Perioperative comparison between robot-assisted and laparoscopic radical cystectomy: An update meta-analysis

We conducted this study to explore the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) and robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) for bladder cancer (BC).We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases for studies on LRC and RARC treatment of BC from the time of the databases creation to May 1, 2022. We extracted data and used Stata 16.0 for calculation and statistical analyses.Thirteen studies with 1509 patients were included. Meta-analysis showed no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) between RARC and LRC in terms of operative time (weighted mean difference [WMD] = 14.48; 95% confidence interval [CI][-2.49, 31.44], P = 0.001), estimated intraoperative blood loss (WMD = -4.23; 95% CI [-81.48, 73.01], P = 0.001), intraoperative blood transfusion (odds ratio [OR] = 0.7; 95% CI [0.39, 1.27]; P = 0.011), positive surgical margins (OR = 1.21; 95% CI [0.61, 2.03]; P = 0.855), time to regular diet, length of hospital stay (WMD = 0.37, 95% CI [-1.73, 2.46]; P = 0.001), postoperative hospital days (WMD = -0.52; 95% CI [-1.15, 0.11], P = 0.359), intraoperative complications, 30- day postoperative complications, and 90- day postoperative complications. However the RARC lymph node yield was higher than that of LRC (WMD = 1.87; 95% CI [0.74, 2.99], P = 0.147).Our study showed that LRC and RARC have similar efficacy and safety profiles for the treatment of muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Comparison of Perioperative Outcomes and Complications of Laparoscopic and Robotic Nephroureterectomy Approaches in Patients with Upper-Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

For medical institutions without robotic equipment, it remains uncertain whether laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (LNU) can achieve results similar to those of robotic surgery for the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). This meta-analysis aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of robot-assisted radical nephroureterectomy (RANU) with that of LNU using a large sample size of patients.

METHODS

A systematic meta-analysis was performed using data (available to May 2022) acquired from multiple scientific databases. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) guidelines, according to the protocols registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021264046), were followed to perform this cumulative analysis.

RESULTS

Nine high-quality studies were included in this analysis, considering factors such as operative time (OT), estimated blood loss (EBL), length of hospital stay (LOS), positive surgical margins (PSM), and complications. Statistical indicators revealed no significant differences between the RANU and LNU groups in terms of OT (weighted mean difference [WMD] 29.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.10 to 59.92; p = 0.22), EBL (WMD -55.30, 95% CI -171.14 to 60.54; p = 0.13), LOS (WMD -0.39, 95% CI -1.03 to 0.25; p = 0.12), PSM (odds ratio [OR] 1.22, 95% CI 0.44-3.36; p = 0.17], or complications (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.49-1.69; p = 0.13).

CONCLUSION

The meta-analysis showed that the perioperative and safety indicators of both RANU and LNU were similar and both showed favorable outcomes in UTUC treatment. However, some uncertainties remain in the implementation and selection of lymph nodes for dissection.

Clinical outcome of laparoscopic versus robot-assisted radical cystectomy for patients with bladder cancer: a retrospective study

Background

With the development of minimally invasive surgery technology, patients with bladder cancer are increasingly receiving laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) or robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) treatment. The main purpose of this study was to compare the long-term outcomes of bladder cancer patients treated with LRC versus RARC.

Methods

A retrospective study to identify patients with clinical stage Ta/T1/Tis to T3 bladder cancer who underwent RARC or LRC has been performed. The perioperative outcome, recurrence, and overall survival (OS) of the two surgical methods were compared.

Results

218 patients were identified from March 2010 to December 2019 in our department, which including 82 (38%) patients who received LRC and 136 (62%) patients who received RARC. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of lymph node collection, lymph node positive rate, resection margin positive rate, and postoperative pathological staging. Compared with the LRC group, patients in the RARC group had a median estimated blood loss (180 vs. 250 ml; P = 0.02) and reduced complications at 90 days postoperatively (30.8% vs. 46.3%; P = 0.01). Recurrence, all-cause death, and cancer-specific death occurred in 77 (35%), 55 (25%), and 39 (18%) patients, respectively. The 5-year OS rate was 54.63% and 54.65% in the RARC and LRC group (P > 0.05). The 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate was 73.32% and 61.55% in RARC and LRC group (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in OS [hazard ratio (HR) 1.083, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.626–1.874; P = 0.78], and CSS (HR 0.789, 95%CI 0.411–1.515; P = 0.61) between two groups.

Conclusions

Both RARC and LRC were safe and effective with a similar long-term clinical outcomes. Moreover, RARC had significantly lower median estimated blood loss and reduced postoperative complications.

Perioperative outcomes of intracorporeal robot-assisted radical cystectomy versus open radical cystectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies

PURPOSE

To systematically review studies comparing the perioperative outcomes of intracorporeal robot-assisted radical cystectomy (iRARC) and open radical cystectomy (ORC).

METHODS

Systematic searches of PubMed, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were performed in June 2020. Studies with data comparing iRARC and ORC were included in our review, and a pooled meta-analysis was completed.

RESULTS

In total, 8 studies (7 prospective studies, 1 retrospective study) comparing 1193 patients were included for our review and meta-analysis. Compared with ORC, iRARC demonstrated lower estimated blood loss (weighted mean difference (WMD): -449.25; 95% CI -566.47 - -332.03; p < 0.01), lower blood transfusion rates (OR: 0.31; 95% CI 0.22 - 0.46; p < 0.01), and lower postoperative complication rates with Clavien-Dindo grades III-IV (30 days: OR: 0.65; 95% CI 0.47 - 0.90; p = 0.01; 90 days: OR: 0.72; 95% CI 0.53 - 0.98; p = 0.04), but a longer operative time (WMD: 78.82; 95% CI 52.77 - 104.87; P < 0.01). Furthermore, there was no significant difference between iRARC and ORC in terms of postoperative complication rates with Clavien-Dindo grades Ⅰ-Ⅱ (30 days: OR: 0.71; 95% CI 0.36 - 1.40; p = 0.32; 90 days: OR: 0.98; 95% CI 0.74 - 1.30; p = 0.89), length of stay (WMD: -1.18; 95% CI -3.33 - -2.07; p = 0.06) and positive surgical margins (OR: 0.78; 95% CI 0.0.45 - 1.36; p = 0.38).

CONCLUSION

iRARC was associated with a significantly lower estimated blood loss and a lower blood transfusion rate and major postoperative complication rate than ORC.

[ROBOT-ASSISTED RADICAL CYSTECTOMY AT HIROSHIMA CITY ASA HOSPITAL -COMPARISON WITH LAPAROSCOPIC RADICAL CYSTECTOMY]

(Objective) We compared the perioperative parameters of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) and laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) to evaluate the utility of RARC. (Patients and methods) At Hiroshima City Asa Hospital, 25 patients underwent RARC from July 2018 to May 2020 (R group) and 79 patients underwent LRC from July 2012 to June 2018 (L group). We retrospectively compared the patient characteristics, perioperative outcomes, and pathological outcomes between the R group and the L group. (Results) Regarding the patient characteristics, the R group had significantly more neo-adjuvant chemotherapy than the L group (64.0% vs. 32.9%, P=0.009), but the other characteristics did not differ. Between the R group and the L group, there were no significant differences in the total operating time (R group = 400 minutes vs. L group = 421 minutes), estimated blood loss (R group = 228 ml vs. L group = 318 ml), or pathological outcomes. However, there were significantly less postoperative complications in the R group than in the L group (24.0% vs. 52.6%, P=0.020). (Conclusion) This study showed that there might be benefits to introducing RARC into medical centers that perform LRC.

Current evidence for robotic surgery in radical cystectomy

Robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) has been gaining momentum as an alternative to its conventional open radical cystectomy (ORC) for the management of invasive bladder cancer. Although RARC, in general, demonstrated less blood loss and shorter hospital stay than ORC, whether there is any significant difference in the overall complication rate still requires further investigation. Thus, both RARC and ORC share a similar oncology outcome, with comparable positive surgical margin rates, disease-free survival, and overall survival. Techniques of intracorporeal urinary diversion (ICUD) have not yet been standardized. ICUD may result in a lower risk of ureteroileal anastomotic stricture than extracorporeal urinary diversion (ECUD). However, ECUD is still a valid and commonly practiced option according to the available data. In general, RARC has been demonstrated to provide promising results. Long-term data and functional outcome after RARC and ICUD are needed to further validate the role of RARC in the management of bladder cancer.