Follow-up Management of Cystectomy Patients.

Bladder cancer is the sixth leading cancer in the United States. Radical cystectomy is a lifesaving procedure for bladder cancer with or without muscle invasion. Radical cystectomy is performed on 39% of these patients, and 35% will have a life-threatening recurrence. Distant metastases are the most common; local, upper tract, and urethral recurrence can also occur. Surveillance after cystectomy is critical to diagnosing recurrence early. Functional complications after urinary diversion include bowel dysfunction, vitamin B12 deficiency, acidosis, electrolyte abnormalities, osteopenia, nephrolithiasis, urinary tract infections, renal functional decline, and urinary obstruction, which can be reversed when diagnosed early.