Robot-assisted versus open radical cystectomy: A cohort study on perioperative outcomes accounting for stage selection bias and surgical experience.

Background: Most comparisons of robot-assisted (RARC) versus open radical cystectomy (ORC) for urothelial carcinoma do not factor the inherent stage selection bias or surgical experience.

Methods: We compared the perioperative outcomes of 229 RARC and 335 ORC at a single tertiary referral centre with propensity score matching and multiple regression models, when controlling for tumour and patient characteristics, surgeon's experience and type of urinary diversion.

Results: RARC had less major complications (19.