OUR INITIAL EXPERIENCE WITH LAPAROSCOPIC RADICAL CYSTECTOMY

Abstract

Background and objectives: In this era of minimally invasive surgeries, at the University Clinic for Urologic Surgery in Skopje, the laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRS) was performed in 11 patients for the first time. In this paper, we have evaluated and summarized the anesthesia management, features and complications of LRC. Material and method: In a retrospective manner, we evaluated all patents who underwent LRC at our Clinic over a one-year period. We noted and analyzed the following parameters: patients’ demographic data, preoperatively and postoperatively, laboratory data, intraoperative fluid volume, estimated blood loss, allogeneic transfusion requirements. Respiratory parameters including arterial blood gas data, anesthesia time, surgical time, time of oral intake, admission to ICU, hospital stay and any adverse events during the whole period of hospitalization were also analyzed. Results: This evaluation included 11 patients who were successfully operated and their data were analyzed. Patients had similar demographic characteristics. Estimated intraoperative blood loss was 472 ml and decreased transfusion requirement was noticed. Due to prolonged surgical time and CO2 pneumoperitoneum, hypercarbia was observed in few patients. Patients had shorter period of bowel dysfunction and rapid oral intake, shorter hospital stay and fewer complications. Conclusion: We believe that these data from our initial experience with newly performed minimally invasive radical cystectomy will reflect to our daily routine practice in radical cystectomy surgery towards laparoscopy. However, some larger prospective evaluation is to be made for summarizing the overall conclusions