Minimally invasive management versus open surgery in the treatment of penetrating bladder injuries: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: While blunt extra-peritoneal bladder injury is typically treated non-operatively or with minimally invasive management, the treatment for penetrating bladder injury is generally open surgery. We identify a group of patients with penetrating bladder injury who were treated with minimally invasive management and compare the results with those who underwent traditional open surgical treatment. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzes penetrating bladder injuries from a single trauma center from 2012 through 2019, and from the National Trauma Data Bank for 2016 and 2017. Mortality, complications, and length of stay were compared for minimally invasive management versus open surgery. We used Chi square to test significance for categorical variables, Mann-Whitney U test for ordinal variables, and T-test for continuous variables. Multivariate analysis was performed with multiple logistic, ordinal, and linear regression. RESULTS: Local: 117 (0.63%) had a bladder injury; 30 (25.6%) were penetrating. 6 (20.0%) were successfully treated with minimally invasive management with no complication versus 24 complications in 11 patients (45.8%) for open surgery (p = 0.047). Open surgical management was not a significant independent predictor of mortality or hospital length of stay. National Trauma Data Bank: 5330 (0.27%) had a bladder injury; 963 (19.5%) were penetrating. 97 (10.1%) were treated with minimally invasive management. The minimally invasive management group had 12 complications in 5 patients (4.9%) versus 280 complications in 169 patients (19.7%) for open surgery (p = < 0.001). Open surgery was a significant independent predictor of complications (OR 1.57, p = 0.003) and longer hospital length of stay (B = 5.31, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Most penetrating bladder injury requires open surgery, however a small proportion can safely be managed with minimally invasive management. Minimally invasive management is associated with lower total complications and shorter hospital length of stay in select patients.

Complications after robot-assisted radical cystectomy: results from the International Robotic Cystectomy Consortium.

BACKGROUND: Complication reporting is highly variable and nonstandardized. Therefore, it is imperative to determine the surgical outcomes of major oncologic procedures. OBJECTIVE: To describe the complications after robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) using a standardized and validated reporting methodology. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Using the International Robotic Cystectomy Consortium (IRCC) database, we identified 939 patients who underwent RARC, had available complication data, and had at least 90 d of follow-up. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Complications were analyzed and graded according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) system and were defined and stratified by organ system. Secondary outcomes included identification of preoperative and intraoperative variables predicting complications. Logistic regression models were used to define predictors of complications and readmission. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Forty-one percent (n=387) and 48% (n=448) of patients experienced a complication within 30 and 90 d of surgery, respectively. The highest grade of complication was grade 0 in 52%, grade 1-2 in 29%, and grade 3-5 in 19% patients. Gastrointestinal, infectious, and genitourinary complications were most common (27%, 23%, and 17%, respectively). On multivariable analysis, increasing age group, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and receipt of blood transfusion were independent predictors of any and high-grade complications, respectively. Thirty and 90-d mortality was 1.3% and 4.2%, respectively. As a multi-institutional database, a disparity in patient selection, operating standards, postoperative management, and reporting of complications can be considered a major limitation of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical morbidity after RARC is significant when reported using a standardized reporting methodology. The majority of complications are low grade. Strict reporting of complications is necessary to advocate for radical cystectomy (RC) and helps in patient counseling.