OBJECTIVETo assess the penile erectile function, urinary continence and voiding, and cancer recurrence in 18 bladder cancer patients after sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder reconstruction.

METHODSEighteen male patients with bladder cancer underwent sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder reconstruction, and were followed up for cancer recurrence and such clinical outcomes as erectile function and urinary continence and voiding.

RESULTSThe patients were followed up for an average of 41 months, of whom, all achieved day- and night-time urinary continence, but 2 with positive lymph nodes died of extensive metastasis at 10 and 15 months, respectively, after surgery. Among the total number, potency was maintained in 11 patients (61.1%), impaired in 2 and lost in 5, and the post-operative IIEF-5 score was (10.83 +/- 8.25) as compared with (13.72 +/- 6.39) before the operation, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONErectile function and urinary continence are fairly good in bladder cancer patients after sexuality preserving cystectomy and Roux-y sigmoid neobladder reconstruction, and the oncological results are fairly acceptable, but still need to be confirmed by longer follow-ups and larger trials.