Is the open cystectomy era over? An update on the available evidence

Abstract

In 2018, robot-assisted radical cystectomy will enter its 15th year. In an era where an effort is being made to standardize complication reporting and videos of the procedure are readily available, it is inevitable and justified that like everything novel, robot-assisted radical cystectomy should be scrutinized against the gold standard, open radical cystectomy. The present comparison is focused on several parameters: oncological, functional and complication outcomes, and direct and indirect costs. Meta-analysis and prospective randomized trials comparing robot-assisted radical cystectomy versus open radical cystectomy have been published, showing an oncological equivalence and in some cases an advantage of robot-assisted radical cystectomy in terms of postoperative morbidity. In the present review, we attempt to update the available knowledge on this debate and discuss the limitations of the current evidence that prevent us from drawing safe conclusions.