Urinary Diversion After Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer: Comparing Trends in the US and Germany from 2006 to 2014

Objective

Our aim was to assess and compare trends of urinary diversion (UD) for patients receiving radical cystectomy for the treatment of bladder cancer in the US and Germany, and to investigate decisive predictors for the choice of UD.

Methods

We analyzed the nationwide German hospital billing database and the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2006 to 2014. Cases with a bladder cancer diagnosis combined with RC were included, and trends in the choice of UD, transfusion rates, length of stay, and mortality were assessed.

Results

From 2006 to 2014, the total number of RCs recorded within the NIS were 17,711, with a varying annual caseload of 1666–2009, while RC numbers increased from 5627 to 7390 in Germany (p < 0.001 for trends), with a total of 60,447 cases. The share of incontinent UD in the US remained stable at 93%, while increasing from 63.2 to 70.8% in Germany. Multivariate models indicated age and sex were the most important factors associated with the choice of UD in both countries, while hospital caseload and teaching status were less relevant factors in the US. In-hospital mortality was lower in the US compared with Germany (1.9% vs. 4.6%; p < 0.001), with significantly shorter hospital stays (10.7 days in the US vs. 25.1 days in Germany; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The increasing age of patients with presumably higher comorbidity in recent years led to increased use of incontinent UD in Germany, while continent UD appears to be underused in the US. Mortality and transfusion rates were significantly lower in the US within a shorter hospital stay.