ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the feasibility, effect, and clinic value of total laparoscopic gastric resection in patients with benign gastric disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinical materials of 50 cases underwent total laparoscopic gastric resection (LG group) and 104 cases open surgery (OG group) between January 2002 and June 2006 were compared. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, mean time of stay in hospital and postoperative complications were studied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All operations in LG group were successfully preformed with laparoscopic technique, and the mean operation time was 105 min, mean intraoperative blood loss was 50 ml, and mean hospital stay was 7 days. Incisional wound infection occurred in 2 cases and no serious complications occurred in this group. In OG group, the mean operation time was 118 min, mean intraoperative blood loss was 108 ml, and mean hospital stay was 12 days. Wound infection occurred in 7 cases, disorder of gastric emptying was found in 3 cases, fistula of anastomotic stoma happened in 1 case and bowel obstruction occurred in 1 case. There was significant difference in operation blood loss and hospital stay between the two groups (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Laparoscopic gastric resection is a safe and feasible minimally-invasive surgery, it brings less pain, less bleeding, shorter hospital stay.</p>