Cross-sectional evaluation of long-term bowel issues after radical cystectomy.

318 Background: We had previously shown that a significant number of patients after radical cystectomy (RC) suffer from changes in bowel habits and defecation. Reports addressing long-term bowel disorders following RC are rare. This cross sectional study evaluates long-term bowel issues in a large cohort with the help of an issue-tailored questionnaire. Methods: For this purpose a questionnaire assessing changes in bowel function and its impact on daily life was developed and distributed among members of the German bladder cancer self-help group. A total of 431 patients after RC were evaluated. Symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, urge to defecate, sensation of incomplete defecation, flatulence, and impact on quality of life (QoL) were assessed. Results: A total of 324 patients were followed ≥1 year, 43% patients of those reported current bowel disorders, 40% life restriction and 60% dissatisfaction. Most frequent bowel symptoms were flatulence (49%), followed by diarrhea (30%) and the sensation of incomplete defecation (23%). The highest prevalence rate of diarrhea is reported in year 3 after surgery: <3 months after surgery 14%, 3-11 months 21%, 12-23 months 18%, 24-35 months 44%, 36-59 months 36%, ≥60 months 27% (p<0.01). Also flatulence is a long-term bowel symptom with a prevalence of 50% ≥1 year vs 37% <1 year after surgery (p=0.0334), while the prevalence of other bowel symptoms did not change over time. After 12 months, diarrhea significantly correlated with flatulence, uncontrolled stool loss, urge to defecate, younger age at time of surgery, and the size of bowel segment for urinary diversion (all p<0.01). Patients suffering from diarrhea report a higher defecation frequency, a lower QoL, a higher dissatisfaction level, a lower energy level (all p<0.01), and a lower health state (p=0.0488). Conclusions: Diarrhea is a prominent long-term bowel symptom after RC. A better understanding of long-term bowel symptoms might lead to optimized surgical procedures, post-operative medication and patient education.