Objectives: We prospectively evaluated our perioperative and five-year oncological results of 200 cases of open radical cystectomy with urinary diversion, for formulating contemporary benchmarks, for future comparison of minimally invasive techniques. This is one of the largest prospective series reported from India of open radical cystectomy. Materials and Methods: Between 2004 and 2009, patients undergoing open radical cystectomy with urinary diversion, at our institution, were prospectively enrolled in the study. Data were recorded and analyzed statistically. Results: Two hundred patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 65.1 years. The patients undergoing ileal conduit and orthotopic neobladder were 159 (79.5%) and 41 (20.5%), respectively. The mean operating time was 275 minutes. The mean operating time for ileal conduit and orthotopic neobladder were 262 minutes and 288 minutes, respectively. The mean estimated blood loss was 690 ml. Blood transfusion was required in 37 (18.5%) patients. The mean hospital stay was 6.1 days. Major and minor complications were recorded in 16 (8%) and 31 (15.5%) patients, respectively. Perioperative mortality was recorded in only two (1.5%) patients. The pathologically organ-confined and non-organ-confined cases were 135 (67.5%) and 65 (32.5%), respectively. Thirty-three (16.5%) patients had pathologically confirmed lymph nodes. Median follow-up was 60.1 months. Local recurrence and distant metastases were recorded in 16 (8%) and nine (4.5%) patients, respectively. A five-year disease-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival were 75.5, 71.5, and 63.5%, respectively. Conclusions: Open radical cystectomy has an acceptable perioperative morbidity and mortality, along with a favorable five-year oncological efficacy. Minimally invasive techniques need a long-term prospective comparison with this approach, before being accepted as a standard treatment for urinary bladder malignancy.
