Laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer patients with situs inversus totalis: Two case reports and review of literature

BACKGROUND Situs inversus totalis(SIT)is a rare condition in which the positions of abdominal and thoracic organs present a“mirror image”of the normal ones in the median sagittal plane.Although minimally invasive surgery has evolved to achieve laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer(GC)patients with SIT,it is difficult to perform lymphadenectomy(LND)in such a transposed anatomical condition.Herein,we report the cases of two patients with SIT who successfully underwent laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy(LAG)with D2 LND.CASE SUMMARY Case 1:A 65-year-old man was admitted for intermittent abdominal pain and distension,occasional belching,and acid reflux for 4 mo.He was diagnosed with GC(cT3N1-2M0)with SIT.Before surgery,he had undergone four cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy.Then,the patient was evaluated as having a partial response,and laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with D2 LND and Billroth II reconstruction were performed.The operation was performed successfully within 240 min with an estimated blood loss of 50 mL and no severe complications.The patient was discharged on postoperative day(POD)9.Case 2:A 55-year-old man was admitted for upper abdominal distension with pain and discomfort after eating for 3 mo.He was diagnosed with GC(cT3N1M0)with SIT.He had a history of hypertension for more than 10 years;however,his blood pressure was well-controlled via regular medication.We performed laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy with D2 LND and Roux-en-Y reconstruction.The operation was performed successfully within 168 min with an estimated blood loss of 50 mL and no severe complications.The patient was discharged on POD 10.CONCLUSION LAG with D2 LND could be considered an accessible,safe,and curative procedure for advanced GC patients with SIT.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of laparoscopy-assisted and open total gastrectomy for gastric cancer

AIM:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy(LATG)and open total gastrectomy(OTG)for gastric cancer.METHODS:A comprehensive search of PubMed,Cochrane Library,Web of Science and BIOSIS Previews was performed to identify studies that compared LATG and OTG.The following factors were checked:operating time,blood loss,harvested lymph nodes,flatus time,hospital stay,mortality and morbidity.Data synthesis and statistical analysis were carried out using RevMan 5.1 software.RESULTS:Nine studies with 1221 participants were included(436 LATG and 785 OTG).Compared to OTG,LATG involved a longer operating time[weighted mean difference(WMD)=57.68 min,95%CI:30.48-84.88;P<0.001];less blood loss[standard mean difference(SMD)=-1.71;95%CI:-2.48--0.49;P<0.001];earlier time to flatus(WMD=-0.76 d;95%CI:-1.22--0.30;P<0.001);shorter hospital stay(WMD=-2.67d;95%CI:-3.96--1.38,P<0.001);and a decrease in medical complications(RR=0.41,95%CI:0.19-0.90,P=0.03).The number of harvested lymph nodes,mortality,surgical complications,cancer recurrence rate and long-term survival rate of patients undergoing LATG were similar to those in patients undergoing OTG.CONCLUSION:Despite a longer operation,LATG can be performed safely in experienced surgical centers with a shorter hospital stay and fewer complications than open surgery.

Robot-assisted vs laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for gastric cancer: A meta-analysis based on 3518 subjects

AIM: To compare the short-term clinical outcomes of robot-assisted gastrectomy(RAG) with laparoscopyassisted gastrectomy(LAG) in gastric cancer patients.METHODS: Articles were identified through a literature search of Pubmed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and the Cochrane Library. Weighted mean differences(WMDs) and odds ratios(ORs) were selected as effect sizes for quantitative variables and qualitative variables, respectively. And 95%CIs were also calculated.RESULTS: A total of 13 studies with 3518 patients were included. RAG was associated with longer operative time(WMD = 46.26 min, 95%CI: 31.89-60.63, P < 0.00001), less blood loss [WMD =-37.19 m L, 95%CI:-60.16-(-14.23), P = 0.002] and shorter postoperative hospital stay [WMD =-0.65 d, 95%CI:-1.24-(-0.05), P = 0.03] than LAG. No significant difference in the numbers of retrieved lymph nodes was found between the two groups(WMD = 1.46, 95%CI:-0.19-3.10, P = 0.08). There was no significant difference in mortality(OR = 1.55, 95%CI: 0.49-4.94, P = 0.45), overall complications(OR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.80-1.26, P = 0.98), anastomosis leakage(OR = 1.02, 95%CI: 0.62-1.65, P = 0.95) and anastomosis stenosis rates(OR = 0.54, 95%CI: 0.18-1.57, P = 0.25). CONCLUSION: RAG is effective and safe in the treatment of gastric cancer. RAG is a promising alternative to laparoscopic surgery. Long-term randomized controlled studies with large scale and improved designs are needed to further evaluate the long-term outcomes.

Totally Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy with D2 Lymphadenectomy for Advanced Gastric Cancer

Introductions: Gastrectomy, which is the standard surgical procedure for gastric cancer, has gradually come to be performed laparoscopically. Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) has been adopted gradually and performed for advanced gastric cancer. However, laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) has not been as widely accepted as LDG due to technical difficulties, especially with reconstruction and proper D2 lymphadenectomy. The purpose of the current study was to determine the utility of TLTG with concomitant splenectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy (TLTGS) for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Materials and Methods: Between January 2006 and May 2014, 10 consecutive patients who underwent TLTGS for AGC and 76 patients who underwent TLTG with D1 lymphadenectomy were included in this study. These two groups were compared in terms of perioperative results, with assessment of intraoperative and postoperative outcomes. Results: There were no significant differences in patients’ characteristics between the two groups. Operative time was longer in the TLTGS group than in the TLTG group. However, the rate of patients with postoperative complications including major complications was not different between the groups, and no patient in the TLTGS group had anastomotic leakage or pancreatic fistula. Conclusions: In the short-term, TLTGS had good postoperative outcomes and was useful and acceptable for AGC.

Clinical Application Analysis of Laparoscopic-Assisted Total Gastrectomy in the Surgical Treatment of Gastric Cancer

Objective:To investigate the clinical application effect of laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy in the surgical treatment of gastric cancer.Methods:The clinical data of 86 COPD patients included in the study were collected and divided into 43 cases each in Groups A and B using the randomization method,with open total gastrectomy in Group A and laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy in Group B.The clinical indexes,pain levels,and complications of patients in the two groups were observed in combination with the indexes.Results:The baseline data of the two groups of patients were not statistically significant(all P>0.05);the operation time,incision length,first flatulence time,and hospitalization time of patients in Group B were shorter than those in Group A(all P=0.000);the NRS scores of patients in Group B on the 1st postoperative day and the 2nd postoperative day were significantly lower than those in Group A(t=23.443,t=28.784,all P=0.000);the total complication rate of patients in Group B(1;2.33%)was significantly lower than that of Group A(9;20.94%)(χ^(2)=7.242,P=0.007).Conclusion:In the surgical treatment of gastric cancer,laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy can promote patients’recovery,reduce patients’pain,and lower the probability of complications.

Feasibility and nutritional impact of laparoscopic assisted tailored subtotal gastrectomy for middle-third gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic assisted total gastrectomy(LaTG)is associated with reduced nutritional status,and the procedure is not easily carried out without extensive expertise.A small remnant stomach after near-total gastrectomy confers no significant nutritional benefits over total gastrectomy.In this study,we developed a modified laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomy procedure,termed laparoscopicassisted tailored subtotal gastrectomy(LaTSG).AIM To evaluate the feasibility and nutritional impact of LaTSG compared to those of LaTG in patients with advanced middle-third gastric cancer(GC).METHODS We retrospectively analyzed surgical and oncological outcomes and postoperative nutritional status in 92 consecutive patients with middle-third GC who underwent radical laparoscopic gastrectomy at Department of Pancreatic Stomach Surgery,National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences,and Peking Union Medical College between 2013 and 2017.Of these 92 patients,47 underwent LaTSG(LaTSG group),and the remaining underwent LaTG(LaTG group).RESULTS Operation time(210±49.8 min vs 208±50.0 min,P>0.05)and intraoperative blood loss(152.3±166.1 mL vs 188.9±167.8 mL,P>0.05)were similar between the groups.The incidence of postoperative morbidities was lower in the LaTSG group than in the LaTG group(4.2%vs 17.8%,P<0.05).Postoperatively,nutritional indices did not significantly differ,until postoperative 12 mo.Albumin,prealbumin,total protein,hemoglobin levels,and red blood cell counts were significantly higher in the LaTSG group than in the LaTG group(P<0.05).No significant differences in Fe or C-reaction protein levels were found between the two groups.Endoscopic examination demonstrated that reflux oesophagitis was more common in the LaTG group(0%vs 11.1%,P<0.05).Kaplan–Meier analysis showed a significant improvement in the overall survival(OS)and disease free survival(DFS)in the LaTSG group.Multivariate analysis showed that LaTSG was an independent prognostic factor for OS(P=0.048)but not for DFS(P=0.054).Subgroup analysis showed that compared to LaTG,LaTSG improved the survival of patients with stage III cancers,but not for other stages.CONCLUSION For advanced GC involving the middle third stomach,LaTSG can be a good option with reduced morbidity and favorable nutritional status and oncological outcomes.

Postoperative mortality and morbidity after D2 lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer:A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Surgery for gastric cancer is a complex procedure and lymphadenectomy is often mandatory.Postoperative mortality and morbidity after curative gastric cancer surgery is not insignificant.AIM To evaluate the factors determining mortality and morbidity in a population of patients undergoing R0 resection and D2 lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer.METHODS A retrospective analysis of clinical data and pathological characteristics(age,sex,primary site of the tumor,Lauren histotype,number of positive lymph nodes resected,number of negative lymph nodes resected,and depth of invasion as defined by the standard nomenclature)was conducted in patients with gastric cancer.For each patient we calculated the Kattan’s score.We arbitrarily divided the study population of patients into two groups based on the nomogram score(<100 points or≥100 points).Prespecified subgroups in these analyses were defined according to age(≤65 years or>65 years),and number of lymph nodes retrieved(≤35 lymph nodes or>35 lymph nodes).Uni-and multivariate analysis of clinical and pathological findings were performed to identify the factors affecting postoperative mortality and morbidity.RESULTS One-hundred and eighty-six patients underwent a curative R0 resection with D2 lymphadenectomy.Perioperative mortality rate was 3.8%(7 patients);a higher mortality rate was observed in patients aged>65 years(P=0.002)and in N+patients(P=0.04).Following univariate analysis,mortality was related to a Kattan’s score≥100 points(P=0.04)and the presence of advanced gastric cancer(P=0.03).Morbidity rate was 21.0%(40 patients).Surgical complications were observed in 17 patients(9.1%).A higher incidence of morbidity was observed in patients where more than 35 lymph nodes were harvested(P=0.0005).CONCLUSION Mortality and morbidity rate are higher in N+and advanced gastric cancer patients.The removal of more than 35 lymph nodes does not lead to an increase in mortality.

Routine modified D2 lymphadenectomy performance in pT1-T2N0 gastric cancer

AIM： To evaluate routine modified D2 lymphadenectomy in gastric cancer, based on immunohistochemicaUy detected skip micrometastases in level 11 lymph nodes. METHODS： Among 95 gastric cancer patients who were routinely submitted to curative modified D2 lymphadenectomy, from January 2004 to December 2008, 32 were classified as pN0. All level I lymph nodes of these 32 patients were submitted to immunohistochemistry for micrometastases detection. Patients in whom micrometastases were detected in the level Ⅰ lymph node stations （n = 4） were excluded from further analysis. The level 11 lymph nodes of the remaining 28 patients were studied immunohistochemically for micrometastases detection and constitute the material of the present study. RESULTS： Skip micrometastases in the level Ⅱ lymph nodes were detected in 14% （4 out of 28） of the patients. The incidence was further increased to 17% （4 out of 24） in the subgroup of T1-2 gastric cancer patients. All micrometastases were detected in the No. 7 lymph node station. Thus, the disease was upstaged from stage Ⅰ A to Ⅰ B in one patient and from stage Ⅰ B to Ⅱ in three patients. CONCLUSION： In gastric cancer, true R0 resection may not be achieved without modified D2 lymphadenectomy. Until D2＋/D3 lymphadenectomy becomes standard, modified D2 lymphadenectomy should be performed routinely.

Utilization of deep neuromuscular blockade combined with reduced abdominal pressure in laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer:An academic perspective

BACKGROUND Few studies have examined the specific efficacy of deep neuromuscular blockade(NMB)combined with pneumoperitoneal pressure reduction in laparoscopic radical gastrectomy(LRG)in the elderly.AIM To investigate the application effect of deep neuromuscular blockade(NMB)combined with reduced pneumoperitoneum pressure in LRG for gastric cancer(GC)in elderly patients and its influence on inflammation.METHODS Totally 103 elderly patients with GC treated in our hospital between January 2020 and January 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,45 patients treated with surgery based on deep NMB and conventional pneumoperitoneum pressure were assigned to the control group,while the rest of the 58 patients who underwent surgery based on deep NMB and reduced pneumoperitoneum pressure were assigned to the observation group.The two groups were compared in the changes of the Leiden-surgical rating scale score,serum tumor necrosis fact-α(TNF-α)and interleukin 6(IL-6)before and after therapy.The visual analogue scale(VAS)was adopted for evaluating the shoulder pain of patients at 8 h,24 h and 48 h after the operation.The driving pressure of the two groups at different time points was also compared.Additionally,the operation time,pneumoperitoneum time,infusion volume,blood loss,extubation time after surgery,residence time in the resuscitation room,TOF%=90%time and post-anesthetic recovery room(PACU)stay time were all recorded,and adverse PACU-associated respiratory events were also recorded.The postoperative hospitalization time and postoperative expenses of the two groups were counted and compared.RESULTS No significant difference was found between the two groups at the time of skin incision,60 minutes since the operation and abdominal closure after surgery(P>0.05).The observation group exhibited significantly lower VAS scores than the control group at 24 and 48h after surgery(P<0.05).Additionally,the observation group had significantly lower driving pressure than the control group at 5 min and 60 min after the establishment of pneumoperitoneum(P<0.05).Additionally,the two groups were similar in terms of the operation time,pneumoperitoneum time,infusion volume,blood loss,extubation time after surgery,residence time in the resuscitation room and TOF%=90%time(P>0.05),and the observation group showed significantly lower TNF-αand IL-6 Levels than the control group at 24 h after therapy(P<0.05).Moreover,the incidence of adverse events was not significantly different between the two groups(P>0.05),and the observation group experienced significantly less hospitalization time and postoperative expenses than the control group(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Deep NMB combined with reduced pneumoperitoneum pressure can decrease the VAS score of shoulder pain and inflammatory reaction,without hindering the surgical vision and increasing adverse PACU-associated respiratory events,and can thus shorten the hospitalization time and treatment cost for patient.

Totally laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes compared with open surgery

AIM: To systematically review the surgical outcomes of totally laparoscopic gastrectomy (TLG) vs open gastrectomy (OG) for gastric cancer.

Laparoscopic vs open D2 gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer: A meta-analysis

AIM: To conduct a meta-analysis comparing laparoscopic (LGD2) and open D2 gastrectomies (OGD2) for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

Subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer

Although a steady decline in the incidence and mortality rates of gastric carcinoma has been observed in the last century worldwide, the absolute number of new cases/year is increasing because of the aging of the population. So far, surgical resection with curative intent has been the only treatment providing hope for cure; therefore, gastric cancer surgery has become a specialized field in digestive surgery. Gastrectomy with lymph node (LN) dissection for cancer patients remains a challenging procedure which requires skilled, well-trained surgeons who are very familiar with the fast-evolving oncological principles of gastric cancer surgery. As a matter of fact, the extent of gastric resection and LN dissection depends on the size of the disease and gastric cancer surgery has become a patient and &#x0201c;disease-tailored&#x0201d; surgery, ranging from endoscopic resection to laparoscopic assisted gastrectomy and conventional extended multivisceral resections. LN metastases are the most important prognostic factor in patients that undergo curative resection. LN dissection remains the most challenging part of the operation due to the location of LN stations around major retroperitoneal vessels and adjacent organs, which are not routinely included in the resected specimen and need to be preserved in order to avoid dangerous intra- and postoperative complications. Hence, the surgeon is the most important non-TMN prognostic factor in gastric cancer. Subtotal gastrectomy is the treatment of choice for middle and distal-third gastric cancer as it provides similar survival rates and better functional outcome compared to total gastrectomy, especially in early-stage disease with favorable prognosis. Nonetheless, the resection range for middle-third gastric cancer cases and the extent of LN dissection at early stages remains controversial. Due to the necessity of a more extended procedure at advanced stages and the trend for more conservative treatments in early gastric cancer, the indication for conventional subtotal gastrectomy depends on multiple variables. This review aims to clarify and define the actual landmarks of this procedure and the role it plays compared to the whole range of new and old treatment methods.

D2 dissection in laparoscopic and open gastrectomy for gastric cancer

AIM: To evaluate the radicalness and safety of laparoscopic D2 dissection for gastric cancer. METHODS: Clinicopathological data from 209 patients with gastric cancer, who underwent radical gastrectomy with D2 dissection between January 2007 and February 2011, were analyzed retrospectively. Among these patients, 131 patients underwent laparoscopyassisted gastrectomy (LAG) and 78 underwent open gastrectomy (OG). The parameters analyzed included operative time, blood loss, blood transfusion, morbidity, mortality, the number of harvested lymph nodes (HLNs), and pathological stage.RESULTS: There were no significant differences in sex, age, types of radical resection [radical proximal gastrectomy (PG + D2), radical distal gastrectomy (DG + D2) and radical total gastrectomy (TG + D2)], and stages between the LAG and OG groups (P > 0.05). Among the two groups, 127 cases (96.9%) and 76 cases (97.4%) had 15 or more HLNs, respectively. The average number of HLNs was 26.1 ± 11.4 in the LAG group and 24.2 ± 9.3 in the OG group (P = 0.233). In the same type of radical resection, there were no signifi cant differences in the number of HLNs between the two groups (PG + D2: 21.7 ± 7.5 vs 22.4 ± 9.3; DG + D2: 25.7 ± 11.0 vs 22.3 ± 7.9; TG + D2: 30.9 ± 13.4 vs 29.3 ± 10.4; P > 0.05 for all comparisons). Tumor free margins were obtained in all cases. Compared with OG group, the LAG group had signifi cantly less blood loss, but a longer operation time (P < 0.001). The morbidity of the LAG group was 9.9%, which was not signifi cantly different from the OG group (7.7%) (P = 0.587). The mortality was zero in both groups. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic D2 dissection is equivalent to OG in the number of HLNs, regardless of tumor location. Thus, this procedure can achieve the same radicalness as OG.

Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with D2 dissection for advanced gastric cancer

The successful application of the laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with D2 dissection for gastric cancer requires adequate understanding of the anatomic characteristics of peripancreatic and intrathecal spaces, the role of pancreas and vascular bifurcation as the surgical landmarks, as well as the variations of gastric vascular anatomy. The standardized surgical procedures based on distribution of regional lymph node should be clarified.

A matched cohort study of laparoscopy-assisted and open total gastrectomy for advanced proximal gastric cancer without serosa invasion

Background Little is known about the feasibility and safety of laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy （LATG） with extended lymphadenectomy in patients with advanced gastric cancer （AGC）.This study compared the technical feasibility,safety,and oncologic efficacy of LATG with open total gastrectomy （OTG） for AGC without serosa invasion.Methods From January 2009 to December 2011,235 patients underwent LATG and 153 patients underwent OTG for AGC without serosa invasion.Age,gender,and depth of invasion （pT2 and pT3） were matched by propensity scoring,and 116 patients （58 LATG and 58 OTG） were selected for analysis.Their clinicopathologic characteristics,postoperative outcomes,and survival were compared.Results There was no significant difference in clinicopathologic characteristics between the two propensity-matched groups.Median number of lymph nodes per patient was 29,and the mean number of retrieved lymph nodes was similar in the LATG and OTG groups （30.8±10.2 vs.29.0±8.3）.Peri-operative characteristics,operation time,number of transfused units per patient,and time to resumption of activities were similar in the two groups; while blood loss,times to first flatus and resumption of soft diet,and post-operative stay were significantly lower in the LATG group （P ＜0.05,respectively）.Rates of post-operative complications （12.1％ vs.15.5％） and postoperative mortality （0％ vs.1.7％）,as well as cumulative survival rates,were similar.Conclusions LATG with D2 lymphadenectomy is a safe and feasible procedure for AGC patients without serosa invasion.ProsPective.multicenter,randomized trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of LATG in this patient population.

Prognosis of metastatic splenic hilum lymph node in patients with gastric cancer after total gastrectomy and splenectomy

AIM:To clarify the significance of combined resection of the spleen to dissect the No.10 lymph node(LN). METHODS:We studied 191 patients who had undergone total gastrectomy with splenectomy,excluding non-curative cases,resection of multiple gastric cancer, and those with remnant stomach cancer.Various clinico-pathological factors were evaluated for any independent contributions to No.10 LN metastasis,usingχ 2 test. Significant factors were extracted for further analysis, carried out using a logistic regression method.Furthermore,lymph node metastasis was evaluated for any independent contribution to No.10 LN metastasis,using the same methods.The cumulative survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.The significance of any difference between the survival curves was determined using the Cox-Mantel test,and any difference was considered significant at the 5%level. RESULTS:From the variables considered to be potentially associated with No.10 LN metastasis,age, depth,invasion of lymph vessel,N factor,the numberof lymph node metastasis,Stage,the number of sites, and location were found to differ significantly between those with metastasis(the Positive Group)and those without(the Negative Group).A logistic regression analysis showed that the localization and Stage were significant parameters for No.10 LN metastasis.There was no case located on the lesser curvature in the Posi-tive Group.The numbers of No.2,No.3,No.4sa,No. 4sb,No.4d,No.7,and No.11 LN metastasis were each found to differ significantly between the Positive Group and the Negative Group.A logistic regression analysis showed that No.4sa,No.4sb,and No.11 LN metastasis were each a significant parameter for No.10 LN metastasis.There was no significant difference in survival curves between the Positive Group and the Negative Group. CONCLUSION:Splenectomy should be performed to dissect No.10 LN for cases which have No.4sa,No. 4sb or No.11 LN metastasis.However,in cases where the tumor is located on the lesser curvature,splenectomy can be omitted.

Factors associated with metastasis in superior mesenteric vein lymph node in subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer:Retrospective case control study

Objective: The revised Japanese treatment guideline for gastric cancer recommends dissection of the superior mesenteric vein lymph node(No. 14v LN) if there is metastasis in infrapyloric lymph node(No. 6 LN). However,it is still controversial whether LN dissection is necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with metastasis in No. 14v LN.Methods: Patients who underwent D2 lymphadenectomy between 2003 and 2010 were included. We excluded patients who underwent total gastrectomy, had multiple lesions, or had missing data about the status of metastasis in the LNs that were included in D2 lymphadenectomy. Clinicopathologic characteristics and the metastasis in regional LNs were compared between patients with No. 14v LN metastasis(14v+) and those without(14v-).Results: Five hundred sixty patients were included in this study. Univariate analysis showed that old age, larger tumor size, tumor location, differentiation, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, perineural invasion, T classification, and N classification were related to metastasis in No. 14v LN. Multivariate analysis showed differentiation(P=0.027) and N classification(P<0.001) were independent related factors. Metastasis in infrapyloric lymph node(No. 6 LN) and proxiaml splenic lymph node(No. 11p LN) was independently associated with metastasis in No. 14v LN.Conclusions: Differentiation and N classification were independent factors associated with No. 14v LN metastasis, and No. 6 and No. 11p LN metastasis were independent risk factors for No. 14v LN metastasis.

Meta-analysis of short-term outcomes after laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy

AIM： To elucidate the current status of laparoscopyassisted distal gastrectomy （LADG） with regard to its short-term outcomes by comparing it with conventional open distal gastrectomy （CODG）.METHODS： Original articles published from 3anuary 1991 to August 2006 were searched in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. Clinical appraisal and data extraction were conducted independently by 2 reviewers. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model.RESULTS： Outcomes of 1611 procedures from 4 randomized controlled trials and 12 retrospective studies were analyzed. Compared to CODG, LADG was a longer procedure （weighted mean difference [WMD] 54.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 38.8 to 69.8; P 〈 0.001）, but was associated with a lower associated morbidity （odds ratio [OR] 0.54; 95% CI 0.37 to 0.77; P 〈 0.001）; this was most significant for postoperative ileus （OR 0.27; 95% CI 0.09 to 0.84; P = 0.02）. There was no significant difference between the two groups in anastomotic, pulmonary, and wound complications and mortality. Duration from surgery to first passage of flatus was faster （WMD -0.68; 95% CI -0.85 to -0.50; P 〈 0.001） and the frequency of additional analgesic requirement （WMD -1.36; 95% CI -2.44 to -0.28; P = 0.01）, and duration of hospital stay （WMD -5.51; 95% CI -7.61 to -3,42; P 〈 0,001） were significantly lower after LADG, However, a significantly higher number of lymph nodes were dissected by CODG （WMD -4.35; 95% CI -5.73 to -2.98; P 〈 0.001）. CONCLUSION： LADG for early gastric cancer is associated with a lower morbidity, less pain, faster bowel function recovery, and shorter hospital stay.

Impact of preoperative therapy on surgical outcomes of laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer

Objective: As laparoscopic surgery is widely applied for primarily treated gastric cancer(GC)/gastroesophageal junction cancer(GEJC) and gains many advantages, the feasibility of laparoscopic total gastrectomy(LTG) for GC/GEJC patients who have received preoperative therapy(PT) has come to the fore. This study aims to analyze the safety and feasibility of LTG after PT for GC/GEJC patients.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 511 patients with GC/GEJC undergoing LTG, of which 405received LTG(LTG group) and 106 received PT+LTG(PT-LTG group) at Nanfang Hospital between June 2018and September 2022. The surgical outcomes were compared between the two groups.Results: The surgical duration was significantly longer in the PT-LTG group(P<0.001), while the incidence of intraoperative complications(P=1.000), postoperative complications(LTG group vs. PT-LTG group: 26.2% vs.23.6%, P=0.587), the classification of complication severity(P=0.271), and postoperative recovery was similar between two groups. Notably, the incidence of anastomotic complications of esophagojejunostomy was also comparable between the two groups(LTG group vs. PT-LTG group: 5.9% vs. 5.7%, P=0.918). The univariate and multivariate analysis confirmed that positive proximal margin [positive vs. negative: odds ratio(OR)=14.094, 95%confidence interval(95% CI): 2.639-75.260, P=0.002], rather than PT, has an impact on anastomotic complications after LTG(OR=0.945, 95% CI: 0.371-2.408, P=0.905).Conclusions: PT did not increase the surgical risk of LTG for GC/GEJC. Therefore, considering the positive effect of PT on long-term survival, the broader application of PT and LTG for GC/GEJC is supported by our findings.

Benefits of minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of gastric cancer

We read with great interest the article that retrospectively analyzed 814 patients with primary gastric cancer,who underwent minimally invasive R0 gastrectomy between 2009 and 2014 by grouping them in laparoscopic vs robotic procedures.The results of the study highlighted that age,American Society of Anesthesiologists status,gastrectomy type and pathological T and N status were the main prognostic factors of minimally invasive gastrectomy and showed how the robotic approach may improve long-term outcomes of advanced gastric cancer.According to most of the current literature,robotic surgery is associated with a statistically longer operating time when compared to open and laparoscopic surgery;however,looking at the adequacy of resection,defined by negative surgical margins and number of lymph nodes removed,it seems that robotic surgery gives better results in terms of the 5-year overall survival and recurrencefree survival.The robotic approach to gastric cancer surgery aims to overcome the difficulties and technical limitations of laparoscopy in major surgery.The threedimensional vision,articulation of the instruments and good ergonomics for the surgeon allow for accurate and precise movements which facilitate the complex steps of surgery such as lymph node dissection,esophagus-jejunal anastomosis packaging and reproducing the technical accuracy of open surgery.If the literature,as well as the analyzed study,offers us countless data regarding the short-term oncological results of robotic surgery in the treatment of gastric cancer,satisfactory data on long-term follow-up are lacking,so future studies are necessary.