title: A new concept for early recovery after surgery for patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: results of a prospective randomized study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Early recovery after surgery concepts have gained wide acceptance in various surgical specialties. However, limited data are available for radical cystectomy. A new early recovery after surgery concept was compared to a more conservative regimen in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 101 consecutive patients were prospectively randomized to early recovery after surgery (62) or a conservative regimen (39) (intended randomization ratio was 2 early recovery after surgery-to-1 conservative regimen). Primary end points were differences in quality of life, and secondary end points included postoperative morbidity, demand for analgesics, time spent in the intermediate care unit, mobility and number of gastrointestinal events during hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quality of life parameters, as measured by the EORTC (European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer) Quality of Life questionnaire QLQ-30 did not change significantly between postoperative days 3 and 7 and at discharge from hospital in the conservative regimen group, whereas a significant improvement was observed in the early recovery after surgery group. Postoperative morbidity was lower in the early recovery after surgery group in terms of wound healing disorders (p = 0.006), fever (p = 0.004) and thrombosis (p = 0.027). The demand for analgesics was significantly lower in the early recovery after surgery group. The amount of food consumed in relation to the amount of food offered was significantly higher for the early recovery after surgery group as early as day 3 (p = 0.02). Time spent in the intermediate care unit was significantly shorter for the early recovery after surgery group (p <0.001). There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to gastrointestinal events. The main limitations of this study were the lack of long-term data as well as the single center approach.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early recovery after surgery of patients who underwent radical cystectomy appears to have significant benefits compared to a conservative regimen in terms of postoperative morbidity, quality of life, use of analgesics and time spent in the intermediate care unit.
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. Electronic address: alexander.karl@med.uni-muenchen.de.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Karl
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Buchner
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Becker
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Staehler
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Seitz
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Khoder
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Schneevoigt
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Weninger
authors: Department of Abdominal Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Rittler
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Grimm
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Gratzke
authors: Department of Urology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Stief
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015653:Cystectomy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013997:Time Factors; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: CR; DVT; ERAS; conservative regimen; convalescence; cystectomy; deep venous thrombosis; early recovery after surgery; rehabilitation; urinary bladder neoplasms