Contemporary American morbidity and mortality for radical cystectomy

Using a population-based cohort study of over 50,000 patients who underwent radical cystectomy in USA between 2001-2008, the authors report no change in complication or mortality rates over this time period. The study, which was published in BJUI (2012), reports that about 29% and 2% of patients undergoing RC will experience a postoperative complication or die during hospitalisation, respectively. Results were better for high volume centres that performed 25 or more cystectomies per year.