ABSTRACT
Laparoscopy in urology has progressed significantly during the past 20 years, from simple ablative procedures to increasingly complex reconstructive procedures.1 Advances are most clearly reflected by the establishment of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, with a noteworthy decrease in patient morbidity and hospital stay.2-4 Laparoscopic cystectomy was first reported in 1992. This was for benign recurrent, symptomatic pyocystis.5 Subsequently, isolated clinical reports of laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) for muscle invasive bladder cancer were reported. The procedure has been confined to a few centers in the world because of its high technical demand.The pelvic cavity is small and there are complex vascular structures surrounding the bladder.6 In all of these reports, a metastatic work-up was done to rule out distant metastasis, and abdominal computed tomography (CT) was done to rule out extravesical extension.7
