Time Efficiency of Intracorporeal Orthotopic Diversion With Robotic Staplers After Robot Assisted Radical Cystectomy

Objectives and Specific Aims Time efficiency of robot assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with totally intracorporeal stapled orthotopic neobladder remains a main drawback of this procedure. According to a recent consensus panel, the benchmark for intracorporeal orthotopic neobladder should be 5 hours in high volume centers . This prospective single-stage phase 2 trial is designed to assess the time efficiency of using robotic stapler versus the conventional motorized staplers (Linear stapler articulated Endo GIA™, Covidien) in achieving the target outcome (total operative time \<5 hr). Perioperative complications (intraoperative and 30-d postoperative complications according to the Clavien classification system), 30-d/90-d/ 180-d complication and readmission rates, early functional outcomes (time to recovery of urinary continence), 180-d and 360-d neobladder stone formation rates will be analyzed to assess the safety and the cost effectiveness of the procedure.

The primary end point by which the sample size was determined was a total operative time \<5hr. In the last 50 cases of our series (data unpublished) this benchmark was obtained in 60% of patients (p0), while we expect to improve the time efficiency of the procedure with the use of robotic staplers maintaining the total operative time of the procedure \<5hrs in at least 80% (p1) of cases. According to A'Hern, in order to verify the significance of this hypothesis, the estimated sample size is 33 patients with a power of 80% at a significance level of 5%. The trial will be successful if the total operative time will be \<5hrs in at least 25 out of 33 patients. The population of this study will include 35 patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer without contraindications to orthotopic neobladder. The first two cases will be excluded in order to provide the entire surgical team the minimal skill necessary for a proper and time efficient use of the new surgical device (robotic stapler). The following 33 consecutive cases will be enrolled and the outcomes analyzed. The estimated time to complete the enrollment is 9 months.