Patient-reported outcomes and health-related quality of life after urinary diversions

Abstract

Purpose of review: To study the recent literature on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients after radical cystectomy followed by urinary diversion.

Recent findings: General consensus regarding, which urinary diversion is superior in terms of HRQOL has not been reached. Although there is an increase in studies favoring the orthotopic neobladder, overall quality of these studies is poor. Other studies suggest that HRQOL outcomes in different types of urinary diversions is similar and that other factors, such as age, comorbidities and sex are more important instead. Patient choice, in consultation with the treating surgeon should be the determinant of which urinary diversion is performed. Furthermore, sexual function can play an important role in HRQOL. However, practice shows that counselling on the option of sexual-preserving techniques is still not implemented in routine clinical practice. Furthermore, studies regarding differences in HRQOL after urinary diversion between male and female individuals are lacking.

Summary: Thorough preoperative counselling on the different types of urinary diversion and options for sexual-preserving techniques decreases decision regret and increases HRQOL in patients after radical cystectomy.