Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BCa) poses a significant global health burden with mounting incidence and mortality rates. Effective treatment strategies are urgently needed to alleviate the disease burden and improve patients' quality of life (QoL). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) plus the Bordeaux robotic intracorporeal orthotopic neobladder (riONB) technique for the treatment of BCa. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from seven male patients who had undergone RARC with Bordeaux riONB between June 2023 and November 2024. The median age was 68 years, and the median body mass index was 24.2 kg/m(2). The study assessed their demographic data, intra- and post-operative parameters, pathological characteristics, and complications. RESULTS: The median operation time lasted for 583 min, with a median estimated blood loss of 375 mL and a median post-operative hospital stay of 10 days. Pathological results showed that five patients (71.4%) were at stage ≥T2. According to the Clavien-Dindo classification, six patients (85.7%) had grade I - II complications. At 6 months post-surgery, the average maximum cystometric capacity measured 397 mL, the average post-void residual urine volume was 29 mL, the average urine flow rate was 5.6 mL/s, and the incontinence-QoL score was 85. Daytime urinary control was good in five patients (71.4%), and nighttime control was good in three patients (42.9%). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that RARC + Bordeaux riONB is a safe and effective surgical option for BCa, accomplishing good patient recovery and significant clinical efficacy. However, the study was subject to limitations of a small sample size and a short follow-up period. Further research with larger cohorts and longer follow-up is warranted to confirm these findings.