Short-term efficacy of laparoscopic total gastrectomy with hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy versus Roux-en-Y anastomosis using propensity score matching / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the short-term efficacy of laparoscopic total gastrec-tomy with hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy versus Roux-en-Y anastomosis.Methods:The propen-sity score matching and retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 159 patients who underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy in Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from October 2014 to July 2021 were collected. There were 107 males and 52 females, aged 63(range, 28?79)years. Of 159 patients, 71 cases undergoing totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy with hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy were allocated into totally laparoscopic group and 88 cases undergoing laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y anastomosis were allocated into laparoscopic-assisted group, respectively. Observation indicators: (1) propensity score matching and comparison of general data of patients between the two groups after matching; (2) intraoperative and postoperative conditions; (3) perioperative complications. Propensity score matching was done by the 1:1 nearest neighbor matching method. Measurement data with normal distribution were expressed as Mean± SD, and t test was used for comparison between groups. Measurement data with skewed distribution were expressed as M(range), and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between groups. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact probability method. The rank sum test was used for comparison of ordinal data. Results:(1) Propensity score matching and comparison of general data of patients between the two groups after matching. Of 159 patients, 112 cases were successfully matched, including 56 cases in the totally laparoscopic group and 56 cases in the laparoscopic-assisted group. Before propensity score matching, age, cases with tumor located in cardia or gastric body in the totally laparoscopic group were 61(range, 30?76)years, 26, 45, respectively. The above indicators in the laparoscopic-assisted group were 65(range, 28?79)years, 50, 38, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( Z=?2.89, χ2=6.43, P<0.05). After propensity score matching, the males and females, age, body mass index, cases of American Society of Anesthesiologists classification Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ, tumor diameter, cases with tumor located in cardia or gastric body, cases in TNM stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ of patients in the totally laparoscopic group were 40, 16, (62±9)years, (22.7±2.8)kg/m 2, 22, 26, 7, 1, 3.5(range, 0.6?17.0)cm, 24, 32, 22, 9, 25. The above indicators of patients in the laparoscopic-assisted group were 38, 18, (62±10)years, (22.7±3.2)kg/m 2, 19, 32, 5, 0, 4.0(range, 0.6?15.0)cm, 23, 33, 21, 7, 28, respectively. There was no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( χ2=0.17, t=?0.09, ?0.04, Z=?0.12, ?0.82, χ2=0.04, Z=?0.42, P>0.05). The elimination of age and tumor location confounding bias ensured comparability between the two groups. (2) Intraoperative and postoperative conditions: after propensity score matching, the total operation time, time of esophagojejunostomy, postopera-tive 24-hour pain numerical score and time to first out-off bed activities were (310±49)minutes, (37±10)minutes, 2.3±0.8 and (2.4±0.7)days for patients in the totally laparoscopic group, versus (344±77)minutes, (44±12)minutes, 3.1±1.2 and (2.9±1.0)days in the laparoscopic-assisted group, showing significant differences between the two groups ( t=?2.85, ?3.05, ?4.20, ?3.10, P<0.05). (3) Perioperative complications: after propensity score matching, 6 cases of the patients in the totally laparoscopic group had Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications, including 2 cases of anas-tomotic leak, 1 case of anastomotic stenosis, 1 case of pleural effusion, 1 case of abdominal infection and 1 case of intestinal obstruction. The incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications was 10.7%(6/56). In the laparoscopic-assisted group, 5 patients had Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications, including 2 cases of anastomotic leak, 1 case of abdominal infection, 1 case of intestinal obstruction and 1 case of cholangitis. The incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications was 8.9%(5/56). There was no significant difference in the incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade 2 or higher complications between the two groups ( χ2=0.10, P>0.05). Patients with anas-tomotic leak were improved after puncture and drainage, secondary surgery and conservative treat-ment, and other complications were improved after symptomatic treatment. Conclusions:Com-pared with Roux-en-Y anastomosis in laparoscopic total gastrectomy, the time of hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy and esophago-jejunal anastomosis are shorter, patients have less postopera-tive pain and faster postoperative recovery. Both methods have good peri-operative safety.

Safety and effectiveness of esophagojejunostomy through extracorporeal versus intracorporeal methods after laparoscopic total gastrectomy / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To compare the safety and effectiveness of esophagojejunostomy (EJS) through extracorporeal and intracorporeal methods after laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out. Clinicopathological data of 261 gastric cancer patients who underwent LTG, D2 lymphadenectomy, and Roux-en-Y EJS with complete postoperative 6-month follow-up data at the General Surgery Department of Nanfang Hospital from October 2018 to June 2021 were collected. Among these 261 patients, 139 underwent EJS with a circular stapler via mini-laparotomy (extracorporeal group), while 122 underwent intracorporeal EJS (intracorporeal group), including 43 with OrVil(TM) anastomosis (OrVil(TM) subgroup) and 79 with Overlap anastomosis (Overlap subgroup). Compared with the extracorporeal group, the intracorporeal group had higher body mass index, smaller tumor size, earlier T stage and M stage (all P<0.05). Compared with the Overlap subgroup, the Orvil(TM) subgroup had higher proportions of upper gastrointestinal obstruction and esophagus involvement, and more advanced T stage (all P<0.05). No other significant differences in the baseline data were found (all P>0.05). The primary outcome was complications at postoperative 6-month. The secondary outcomes were operative status, intraoperative complication and postoperative recovery. Continuous variables with a skewed distribution are expressed as the median (interquartile range), and were compared using Mann-Whitney U test. Categorical variables are expressed as the number and percentage and were compared with the Pearson chi-square, continuity correction or Fisher's exact test. Results: Compared with the extracorporeal group, the intracorporeal group had smaller incision [5.0 (1.0) cm vs. 8.0 (1.0) cm, Z=-10.931, P=0.001], lower rate of combined organ resection [0.8% (1/122) vs. 7.9% (11/139), χ(2)=7.454, P=0.006] and higher rate of R0 resection [94.3% (115/122) vs. 84.9 (118/139), χ(2)=5.957, P=0.015]. The morbidity of intraoperative complication in the extracorporeal group and intracorporeal group was 2.9% (4/139) and 4.1% (5/122), respectively (χ(2)=0.040, P=0.842). In terms of postoperative recovery, the extracorporeal group had shorter time to liquid diet [(5.1±2.4) days vs. (5.9±3.6) days, t=-2.268, P=0.024] and soft diet [(7.3±3.7) days vs. (8.8±6.5) days, t=-2.227, P=0.027], and shorter postoperative hospital stay [(10.5±5.1) days vs. (12.2±7.7) days, t=-2.108, P=0.036]. The morbidity of postoperative complication within 6 months in the extracorporeal group and intracorporeal group was 25.9% (36/139) and 31.1%, (38/122) respectively (P=0.348). Furthermore, there was also no significant difference in the morbidity of postoperative EJS complications [extracorporeal group vs. intracorporeal group: 5.0% (7/139) vs. 82.% (10/122), P=0.302]. The severity of postoperative complications between the two groups was not statistically significant (P=0.289). In the intracorporeal group, the Orvil(TM) subgroup had more estimated blood loss [100.0 (100.0) ml vs.50.0 (50.0) ml, Z=-2.992, P=0.003] and larger incision [6.0 (1.0) cm vs. 5.0 (1.0) cm, Z=-3.428, P=0.001] than the Overlap subgroup, seemed to have higher morbidity of intraoperative complication [7.0% (3/43) vs. 2.5% (2/79),P=0.480] and postoperative complications [37.2% (16/43) vs. 27.8% (22/79), P=0.286], and more severe classification of complication (P=0.289). Conclusions: The intracorporeal EJS after LTG has similar safety to extracorporeal EJS. As for intracorporeal EJS, the Overlap method is safer and has more potential advantages than Orvil(TM) method, and is worthy of further exploration and optimization.

Technical details of gastrointestinal reconstruction using linear stapler in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy / 中华胃肠外科杂志

With the development of instrument, equipment and surgical skills, especially the emergence of a series of high-level medical evidence, the laparoscopic techniques in the field of gastric surgery has been further expanded. Totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) has certain technical difficulties, and more challenges are reflected in the digestive tract reconstruction. The use of linear staplers has reduced the difficulty of digestive tract reconstruction to a certain extent and has strongly promoted the transition from laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy to TLTG. However, for TLTG, there are still many details that should be carefully concerned, so as to effectively avoid the surgical pitfalls and ensure the fluency and safety of the procedure. In this article, we discuss the surgical details based on our own experiences, including how to obtain surgical field exposure well, how to manage specific accidents when using linear stapler for esophagojejunostomy, how to prevent intra-abdominal hernias and Roux stasis syndrome, and how to prevent the stapled lines of the esophageal or jejunal stumps from direct contact with aorta.

Technical tips and pitfalls of total laparoscopic esophagojejunostomy / 肿瘤研究与临床

With the development of laparoscopic technology and the accumulation of experience, total laparoscopic total gastrectomy has been gradually popularized and applied. Among them, laparoscopic esophagojejunostomy is the biggest challenge in this surgery because of its high difficulty. More and more surgeons have been trying to find a more feasible anastomosis method. So far, there have been many kinds of esophagojejunostomy, and they are constantly being improved. The purpose of this article is to review the technical tips and pitfalls of common laparoscopic esophagojejunostomy.

Side-to-side esophagojejunostomy after 4K laparoscopic total gastrectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Digestive tract reconstruction with side-to-side esophagojejunostomy is one of the most commonly used digestive tract reconstruction methods after laparoscopic total gastrectomy. It does not need an auxiliary incision. The linear stapler is used to directly enter the abdominal cavity through the Trocar to perform side-to-side anastomosis of esophagojejunostomy. The common hole can be closed by hand suture or linear stapler. 4K laparoscopy can present a clearer and more realistic view to the operators, so as to realize side-to-side esophagojejunostomy more accurately, to reduce the postoperative anastomo-tic related complications and improve the safety of the operation. This article will elaborate the technical key points and difficulties of esophagojejunostomy in 4K laparoscopic total gastrectomy, as well as the prevention and treatment of anastomotic related complications.

Digestive tract reconstruction with tubular stapler after 4K laparoscopic total gastrectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Digestive tract reconstruction after laparoscopic total gastrectomy is one of the difficult problems faced by surgeons. The classical reconstruction method is Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy, which is mainly completed by two instruments: linear stapler and tubular stapler. Due to the advantages of wide application range and safety of anastomosis, the tubular stapler is most commonly used in clinical practice. The traditional method of esophagojejunostomy with tubular stapler is end-to-side esophagojejunostomy. Because this method is directly transplanted from open surgery, there are many difficulties in the actual operation. Semi end to end esophagojejunostomy is an improved reconstruction method with tubular stapler. It is easy to operate and has less complications. It is the optimal choice for digestive tract reconstruction after laparoscopic total gastrectomy. With the help of 4K laparoscopic system, the operation is more accurate. The authors summarize key points of digestive tract reconstruction with tubular stapler after 4K laparoscopic total gastrectomy.

Evaluation of modified Overlap method in digestive tract reconstruction after totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer / 中国综合临床

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of modified Overlap method in digestive tract reconstruction of totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy(TLTG) for gastric cancer??Methods The data of 86 patients with gastric cancer who underwent TLTG from January 2014 and January 2017 were collected from the First Hospital of Lanzhou University??All the patients underwent D2 lymphadenectomy??Forty?four patients′digestive tracts were reconstructed with traditional Overlap method (control group),and 42 patients′digestive tracts were reconstructed with modified Overlap method ( modified group )??The intraoperative and postoperative conditions, postoperative tumor?free survival, tumor recurrence and metastasis were compared between the two groups??Follow up lasted as of February 2018??Results TLTG was successfully performed in both groups,and no case was converted to laparotomy??The time of esophagojejunostomy ((20??4±2??3) min vs??(46??5±4??4) min, t＝9??493), total operation time (( 253??3 ± 12??8) min vs??( 278??6 ± 14??9) min,t＝5??462) in the modified group were significantly shorter than those in the control group,and there were significant differences between the two groups ( all P＜0??05)??And there were no significant differences between the the modified group and control group in volume of intraoperative blood loss(( 71??5±12??9) ml vs??(73??2± 15??3) ml , t＝0??286), number of lymph node dissected (( 35??5 ± 4??8) vs??( 34??2 ± 5??6) , t＝0??618),first postoperative exhaust time (( 2??6 ± 0??9) d vs??( 2??7 ± 1??1) d, t＝0??348), postoperative hospitalization time((9??9± 1??6) d vs??( 9??8 ± 1??7) d,t＝0??229) and postoperative complications( 7??1%(3／42) vs??9??1%(4／44), χ2 ＝ 0??207) ( all P＞0??05)??The two groups were followed up for 12～25 months??No recurrence or metastasis occurred??Conclusion Compared with traditional Overlap method,the modified Overlap method can simplify the anastomotic procedures, shorten operation time and achieve an effective and reliable anastomosis effect after TLTG??

Application value of totally laparoscopic transabdominal-hiatal approach in the radical resection of Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To investigate the safety and feasibility of totally laparoscopic transabdominalhiatal approach in the treatment of Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG).Methods The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 11 patients with Siewert type Ⅱ AEG who were admitted to Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from May 2017 to July 2018 were collected.There were 8 males and 3 females,aged 56-72 years,with an average age of 63 years.Patients underwent radical resection of AEG by totally laparoscopic transabdominalhiatal approach.Observation indicators:(1) surgical situations and postoperative recovery;(2) postoperative pathological examination;(3) follow-up and survival situations.Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy,complications,food intake,anastomosis patency,tumor recurrence and metastasis,and survival up to December 2018.Measurement data with normal distribution were presented as Mean±SD,measurement data with skewed distribution were presented as M (range),and count data were represented as absolute number or percentage.Results (1) Surgical situations and postoperative recovery:all the patients underwent totally laparoscopic radical resection of Siewert type Ⅱ AEG by transabdominal-hiatal approach,without conversion to open surgery or perioperative death.Of the 11 patients,8 underwent total gastrectony including 3 combined with splenic hilar lymph node dissection and 3 underwent proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction.Operation time,time of superior overlap esophagojejunostomy,volume of intraoperative blood loss,time for initial out-of-bed activities,time to first flatus,time to initial liquid diet intake,time of drainage tube removal were respectively (245± 39)minutes,(60± 12) minutes,(75±23) mL,(24± 8) hours,(2.4± 0.5) days,(3.5 ± 0.8) days,(8.2 ± 1.3) days respectively.There was no serious complication including postoperative hemorrhage,anatomotic fistula or death.Three patients had left pleural effusion,and were cured after thoracic drainage.The duration of postoperative hospital stay was (11.0±3.0) days.(2) Postoperative pathological examination:all the 11 patients had negative upper surgical margin.The length of proximal margin,tumor diameter,total number of lymph lodes harvested,and number of lower mediastinal lymph lodes harvested were (2.1 ±0.2) cm,(2.6±0.9) cm,(36.0±4.0)/case and (2.3± 0.8)/case.Pathological examination showed adenocarcinoma in all the 11 patients.pTNM staging:2 cases were in stage Ⅰ B,4 cases in stage Ⅱ A,3 cases in stage Ⅱ B and 2 cases in stage Ⅲ A.(3) Follow-up and survival situations:11 patients were follow-up for 6-19 months,with a median time of 9 months.Chemotherapy regimeus were formulated according to the pathological examination.Nine patients received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy,and 2 in stage Ⅱ B received no postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.During the follow-up,11 patients had no obvious reflux symptom or choking feeling,and the anastomosis was patent as evaluated by oral contrast agent and gastroscopy.There was no tumor recurrence and metastasis or death in the 11 patients.Conclusion Totally laparoscopic transabdominal-hiatal approach applied in the radical resection is safe and feasible for the treatment of Siewert type Ⅱ AEG,with good short-term outcomes.

Surgical Outcomes and Follow-Up Results of 100 Cases of Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy Using the Overlap Method with Stapled Closure

PURPOSE: The overlap method is one of the most popular procedures for construction of an esophagojejunostomy and its common entry is usually closed with sutures. This study aimed to report long-term complications and surgical outcomes of the overlap method with stapled closure (OMSC), to compare them with those of laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG), and to analyze a learning curve.METHODS: Between January 2015 and August 2017, 100 consecutive patients underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy with OMSC for gastric cancer and the patients' medical records were reviewed. Their clinicopathologic characteristics, surgical outcomes, and long-term complications were investigated and compared with those of the LATG group. A learning curve of OMSC was analyzed using the Exponentially Weighted Moving Average chart.RESULTS: The overall duration of surgery was shorter in the LATG group; however, there was no difference in patients with early gastric cancer. Hospital admission was shorter and the pain scale was lower in the OMSC group. There was no difference in the number of harvested lymph nodes, date of flatus, or incidence of postoperative morbidity. Both groups showed no duodenal stump leakage, anastomosis-related complications, recurrence, or mortality during the follow-up period. Petersen hernia was a notable long-term event following OMSC compared with LATG. At least 27 cases of surgery were required to reach a plateau in terms of surgery duration for OMSC.CONCLUSION: OMSC is a safe option for the treatment of gastric cancer and has favorable long-term results and surgical outcomes. Closure of mesenteric defects and Petersen space should be considered.

Dorsal Track Control (DTC): A Modified Surgical Technique for Atraumatic Handling of the Distal Esophagus in Esophagojejunostomy

Surgical therapy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction II requires distal esophagectomy, in which a transhiatal management of the lower esophagus is critical. The ‘dorsal track control’ (DTC) maneuver presented here facilitates the atraumatic handling of the distal esophagus, in preparation for a circular-stapled esophagojejunostomy. It is based on a ventral semicircular incision in the distal esophagus, with an intact dorsal wall for traction control of the esophagus. The maneuver facilitates the proper placement of the purse-string suture, up to its tying (around the anvil), thus minimizing the manipulation of the remaining esophagus. Furthermore, the dorsally-exposed inner wall surface of the ventrally-opened esophagus serves as a guiding chute that eases anvil insertion into the esophageal lumen. We performed this novel technique in 21 cases, enabling a safe anastomosis up to 10 cm proximal to the Z-line. No anastomotic insufficiency was observed. The DTC technique improves high transhiatal esophagojejunostomy.

Application value of π-shaped Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To investigate the application value of π-shaped esophagojejunostomy in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy.Methods The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 3 patients who underwent totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy in the Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital Medical University between October 2016 and March 2017 were collected.Patients received π-shaped Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy.Patients who were diagnosed with Ⅱ and above stages by pathological examination underwent postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with oxaliplatin + tegafur gimeracil oteracil.Observation indicators:(1) surgical and postoperative recovery situations;(2) follow-up and survival situations.The follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect postoperative adjuvant therapy and survival up to March 2018.Results (1) Surgical and postoperative recovery situations:3 patients underwent successfully totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy,and π-shaped Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy was also performed.Case 1 had injury of spleen vessel when No 11 p lymph nodes were dissected and then received successful hemostasis,and case 2 and 3 didn't have complication.Operation time,digestive tract reconstruction time,volume of intraoperative blood loss,time to anal exsufflation and postoperative drainage-tube removal time of case 1,2 and 3 were respectively 376 minutes,290 minutes,284 minutes and 26 minutes,30 minutes,24 minutes and 500 mL,100 mL,200 mL and 2 days,3 days,3 days and 4 days,4 days,5 days.Case 3 with left pleural effusion was cured by puncture and drainage treating,and case 1 and 2 didn't have complication.Three patients were not complicated with anastomotic stoma-related complicaions.Results of postoperative pathological examination:number of lymph node dissected and TNM staging of case 1,2 and 3 were respectively 20,17,20 and TlaN0M0 staging,T3N3M0 staging,T1bN0M0 staging.Duration of hospital stay in case 1,2 and 3 was respectively 7 days,8 days and 11 days.(2) Follow-up and survival situations:3 patients were followed up,and follow-up time of case 1,2 and 3 was respectively 18 months,16 months,12 months.During the follow-up,case 2 received postoperative adjuvant therapy,and then underwent palliative treatment of Paclitaxel and Xeloda after the case was rechecked out multiple liver metastases at postoperative month 12.Case 1 and 3 had disease-free survival.Conclusion The π-Shaped esophagojejunostomy is safe and feasible for totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy,and it can be used as an alternative to digestive tract reconstruction.

Application value of the modified Overlap esophagojejunostomy in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To investigate the application value of the modified Overlap esophagojejunostomy in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG).Methods The retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 32 patients who underwent TLTG with modified Overlap esophagojejunostomy in the Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine between January 2015 and December 2017 were collected.The main points of the modified Overlap method:surgeons stood on the right of patients when digestive tract reconstruction,suspension of left half liver and clockwise rotation before esophageal transection were performed,regulating esophageal opening position and building jejunal loop,and then closing openings using 45.0 mm Endo-GIA and barbed wire.Patients who were diagnosed as Ⅰ A stage by postoperative pathological examination were followed up;patients with lymph node metastases underwent chemotherapy of XELOX regimen and patients in Ⅰ B and Ⅱ stages without lymph node metastases underwent oral S-1 single agent.Observation indicators:(1) surgical and postoperative recovery situations;(2) follow-up and survival situations.Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect postoperative adjuvant therapy,long-term complications and survival up to March 2018.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as x±s,and measurement data with skewed distribution were described as M(range).Results (1) Surgical and postoperative recovery situations:all the 32 patients underwent successful TLTG and modified Overlap esophagojejunostomy.The operation time,esophagojejunostomy time,volume of intraoperative blood loss,time to initial anal exsufflation,time for initial fluid diet intake,time for initial semifluid diet intake and time of postoperative drainage-tube removal were respectively (227 ± 19) minutes,(22 ±7)minutes,(69±11)mL,(2.1±0.5) days,(3.4±0.4) days,(4.9±0.6) days and (7.5±1.7) days.There was no anastomotic stoma-related complication in 32 patients.One patient was complicated with duodenal stump leakage at 5 days postoperatively and was cured by continuous three-cavity irrigation and conservative treatment.Results of postoperative pathological examination:number of lymph node dissected in 32 patients was 32±4.TNM staging:1,5,7,11,6,1 and 1 patients were detected respectively in Ⅰ A,Ⅰ B,Ⅱ A,Ⅱ B,ⅢA,ⅢB and ⅢC.Duration of postoperative hospital stay of 32 patients was (8.1 ±2.1)days.(2) Follow-up and survival situations:32 patients were followed up for 3-38 months,with a median time of 18 months.During the follow-up,in addition to 1 patient in IA stage,31 patients underwent postoperative adjuvant therapy;patients can take the common soft food,without symptoms of choking and burning feelings,and gastroscopy reexamination was performed at 6 months postoperatively and showed anastomosis patency.One patient died of malignant tumor of maxillary sinus at 9 months postoperatively,1 was detected liver metastasis at 20 months postopeartively and survived with tumor,the other patients had no tumor recurrence or metastasis.Conlusion The modified Overlap esophagojejunostomy is safe and feasible in TLTG,with good short-term outcomes.

Safety evaluation and application of esophagojejunostomy in laparoscopic total gastrectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

The esophagojejunostomy is a key and difficult point in laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG),it mainly uses circular stapler and Endo-cutter.The circular stapler includes trans-orally inserted anvil (OrVilTM),purstring instrument,manual anastomosis,anti-puncture placement,etc;The Endo-cutter includes esophagus-jejunum side-to-side anastomosis and overlap side-to-side anastomosis.There are their respective advantages and limitations in the various esophagojejunostomy,no standard is recommended.When it comes to security,overlap side-to-side anastomosis is better for patients with non-upper gastric cancer,and OrVilTM really has a leading-edge advantage compared with other anastomoses and may be used for patients with upper gastric cancer who cannot undergo linear anastomosis.The above anastomosis methods need to be proved by the high-quality,large-sample randomized controlled clinical studies.

Influence of body configuration on the therapeutic effects of totally laparoscopic and laparoscopy-assisted radical total gastrectomies: a multicentre retrospective study (A report of 677 cases) / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To investigate the influence of body configuration on the therapeutic effects of totally laparoscopic and laparoscopy-assisted radical total gastrectomies.Methods The retrospective cohort study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 677 patients with gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic radical total gastrectomies in the 11 clinical centers [100 patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University),98 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University,94 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University,89 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University,81 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University,81 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University,42 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,39 in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong Province,26 in the First People's Hospital of Hangzhou City,17 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University and 10 in the Xijing Hospital of Air Force Medical University (Fourth Military Medical University)] from January 2015 to June 2017 were collected.Among 677 patients,305 [89 patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University),28 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University,14 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University,26 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University,75 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University,14 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University,10 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,10 in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong Province,19 in the First People's Hospital of Hangzhou City,13 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University and 7 in the Xijing Hospital of Air Force Medical University (Fourth Military Medical University)] undergoing totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy were allocated into the totally laparoscopic group,and 372 [11 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University),70 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University,80 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University,63 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University,6 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University,67 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University,32 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,29 in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong Province,7 in the First People's Hospital of Hangzhou City,4 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University and 3 in the Xijing Hospital of Air Force Medical University (Fourth Military Medical University)] undergoing laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy were allocated into the laparoscopy-assisted group.All patients received laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy using routine five-port method.Roux-en-Y anastomosis was applied for digestive tract reconstruction,and digestive tract reconstruction was performed under laparoscopy in the totally laparoscopic group and via upper abdominal median incision in the laparoscopy assisted group.Observation indicators:(1) surgical and postoperative situations;(2) stratified analysis:surgical and postoperative situations of obese patients [body mass index (BMI) ＞ 25.0 kg/m2,the maximum vertical distance between the anterior abdominal skin and the back skin at the level of the xiphoid bone (X-APD) ＞ an average value of 22.7 cm and X-APD/the maximum horizontal distance of a plane at a right angle to X-APD (X-TD) ＞an average value of 0.8] between groups;(3) follow-up and survival situations.Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect the postoperative overall survival and tumor recurrence or metastasis up to July 2017.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as x±s.Comparison between groups was analyzed by the t test.Measurement data with skewed distribution were described as M(Q),and comparison between groups was analyzed by Mann-Whithey test.Comparisons of count data were analyzed using the chi-square test.Results (1) Surgical and postoperative situations:all the patients in the 2 groups underwent successful operations,without perioperative death.Esophagojejunostomy methods of 305 patients in totally laparoscopic group:conventional circular stapler method were performed in 107 patients,antipuncture circular staplar method in 6 patients,OrVilTM method in 5 patients,functional end-to-end esophagojejunostomy method in 76 patients,peristalsis side-to-side esophagojejunostomy method in 106 patients and π esophagojejunostomy method in 5 patients.Three hundred and seventy-two patients in the totally laparoscopic group received conventional circular stapler method,including 361 with end-to-side esophagojejunostomy method and 11 with half end-to-end esophagojejunostomy method.Total operation time,time of esophagojejunostomy,length of assisted incision and using time of analgesics were respectively (235± 72)minutes,(33 ± 15)minutes,(5.6± 1.4) cm,(2.0 ± 1.2) days in the totally laparoscopic group and (223± 63) minutes,(29 ± 10) minutes,(8.0 ± 2.6) cm,(2.3 ± 1.6) days in the laparoscopy-assisted group,with statistically significant differences between groups (t =2.383,3.289,-15.236,-2.780,P ＜ 0.05).The eases with postoperative overall complications,anastomosis bleeding,anastomosis stricture,anastomosis leakage were respectively 38,6,11,11 in the totally laparoscopic group and 35,7,10,13 in the laparoscopy-assisted group,with no statistically significant difference between groups (x2 =1.621,0.007,0.470,0.006,P＞0.05).All the patients with postoperative complications were cured by symptomatic treatment.(2) Stratified analysis:length of assisted incision,using time of analgesics,time to postoperative anal exsufflation,time for initial fluid diet intake,time for initial semi-fluid diet intake,time of postoperative drainage-tube removal and duration of postoperative hospital stay in obese patients with BMI＞25.0 kg/m2,X-APD＞22.7 cm and X-APD/X-TD＞0.8 were respectively (5.9±1.3)cm,(5.7±1.4)cm,(5.6±1.4)cn,(2.0±1.2) days,(2.2±1.1)days,(2.1±1.1)days,(3.4±0.9) days,(3.3±0.9)days,(3.3±0.8)days,(4.7±1.1)days,(4.1±2.0)days,(4.0±1.6)days,(6.6±1.5)days,(6.4±2.3)days,(6.3±1.9)days,(7.8±2.3)days,(7.8±2.7)days,(7.6±2.9)days,(9±4)days,(10±5)days,(10±5) days in the totally laparoscopic group and (8.7±3.1)cm,(8.9±3.0)cm,(8.8±2.8)cm,(2.4±1.3)days,(2.5±1.5)days,(2.5±1.6)days,(3.7±1.0)days,(3.8±1.1)days,(3.7±1.3)days,(5.3±1.7)days,(4.8±1.7)days,(5.0±1.9)days,(7.4±2.3)days,(7.8±2.0)days,(7.0±2.2)days,(8.7±2.4)days,(8.4±1.9)days,(8.1±1.5)days,(1 1±8)days,(11±5)days,(1 1±5)days in the laparoscopy-assisted group,with statistically significant differences between groups (t =-7.950,-2.246,-2.222,-2.500,-2.771,-2.404,-2.251,P＜0.05).There were statistically significant differences in above indicators of patients with X-APD＞22.7 cm between groups (t =-12.089,-2.064,-3.732,-3.220,-5.297,-2.074,-2.208,P＜0.05),and in above indicators of patients with X-APD/X-TD＞0.8 between groups (t =-13.451,-2.736,-3.354,-4.961,-3.280,-2.137,-2.127,P＜0.05).(3) Follow-up and survival situations:of 677 patients,645 were followed up for 1-31 months,with a median time of 12 months,including 283 in the totally laparoscopic group and 362 in the laparoscopy-assisted group.During the follow-up,cases with overall survival,tumor recurrence and tumor metastasis were respectively 255,18 and 21 in the totally laparoscopic group and 327,25 and 20 in the laparoscopy-assisted group (11 and 10 patients in the totally laparoscopic and laparoscopy-assisted groups with simutaneous tumor recurrence and metastasis),showing no statistically significant difference between groups (x2 =0.009,0.076,0.959,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions Totally laparoscopic and laparoscopy-assisted radical total gastrectomies are safe and feasible in obese patients,with the equivalent time of esophagojejunostomy.Totally laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy is of benefit to short-term recovery of patients.

Comparison of Intracorporeal and Extracorporeal Esophagojejunostomy after Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis Based on Short-Term Outcomes / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>Background:</b>Laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) is increasingly performed in patients with gastric cancer. However, the usage of intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy (IEJ) following LTG is limited, as the safety and efficacy remain unclear. The present meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of IEJ following LTG.</p><p><b>Methods:</b>Studies published from January 1994 to January 2017 comparing the outcomes of IEJ and extracorporeal esophagojejunostomy (EEJ) following LTG were reviewed and collected from the PubMed, EBSCO, Cochrane Library, Embase, and China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI). Operative results, postoperative recovery, and postoperative complications were compared and analyzed. The weighted mean difference (WMD) and odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the Review Manager 5.3.</p><p><b>Results:</b>Seven nonrandomized studies with 785 patients were included. Compared with EEJ, IEJ has less blood loss (WMD: -13.52 ml; 95% CI: -24.82--2.22; P = 0.02), earlier time to first oral intake (WMD: -0.49 day; 95% CI: -0.83--0.14; P < 0.01), and shorter length of hospitalization (WMD: -0.62 day; 95% CI: -1.08--0.16; P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between IEJ and EEJ regarding the operation time, anastomotic time, number of retrieved lymph nodes, time to first flatus, anastomosis leakage rate, anastomosis stenosis rate, and proximal resections (all P > 0.05).</p><p><b>Conclusions</b>Compared with EEJ, IEJ has better cosmesis, milder surgical trauma, and a faster postoperative recovery. IEJ can be performed as safely as EEJ. IEJ should be encouraged to surgeons with sufficient expertise.</p>

Application value of the curved cutter stapler device combined with trans-orally inserted anvil in the radical resection of Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To investigate the application value of the curved cutter stapler device combined with trans-orally inserted anvil (OrVil) in the radical resection of Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG).Methods The retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 206 patients with Siewert type Ⅱ AEG who were admitted to the Henan Tumor Hospital between March 2011 and March 2016 were collected.All the 206 patients underwent radical resection and 3-step clock wise total gastrectomy + D2 lymph node dissection.Observation indicators:(1) surgery and postoperative recovery situations:surgical approach,overall operation time,hammer anvil placing time,esophagojejunal anastomosis time,volume of intraoperative blood loss,number of lymph node dissected,time to anal exsufflation,postoperative complications and duration of postoperative hospital stay;(2) postoperative pathological examination and chemotherapy;(3) follow-up and survival situations.Follow-up using telephone interview and outpatient examination was performed to detect tumor-free survival of patients up to April 2016.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as x±s.The survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method.Results (1) Surgery and postoperative recovery situations:all the 206 patients received successful operations,including 85 with abdominal operation,50 with abdominal incision through the diaphragmatic muscle into thoracic surgery and 71 with thoracic-abdominal surgery.Overall operation time,hammer anvil placing time,esophagojejunal anastomosis time,volume of intraoperative blood loss,number of lymph node dissected,time to anal exsufflation and duration of hospital stay were (113.7± 15.4)minutes,(3.5± 1.2)minutes,(10.4±2.9)minutes,(128±25) mL,32± 6,(2.4 ± 0.9) days and (12.3 ± 1.9) days,respectively.Of 206 patients,15 with postoperative complications were cured by conservative treatment,including 6 with implicit anastomotic fistula,3 with dominant anastomotic fistula,2 with pancreatic leakage,2 with intestinal obstruction,1 with anastomotic stenosis and 1 with thoracic and abdominal infection.There was no reoperation due to perioperative complications.(2) Postoperative pathological examination and chemotherapy:postoperative pathological results showed that distance from resection margin of the esophagus to tumor was (5.2±0.4) cm,without cancer cells in the resection margin.Among 206 patients,171 received postoperative chemotherapy by S1 single agent combined with oxaliplatin for 6-8 cycles or oral S1 single agent for 1 year.(3) Follow-up and survival situations:206 patients were followed up for (2.7± 0.3)years,with a tumor-free 3-year survival rate of 58％.During the follow-up,there was no recurrent anastomotic tumor.Conclusion The curved cutter stapler device combined with OrVil in the radical resection of Siewert type Ⅱ AEG can simplify the difficulty of esophagojejunal anastomosis and guarantee the safe resection margin of the lower esophagus.

Application value of the π-shaped esophagojejunostomy in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To explore the safety and feasibility of the π-shaped esophagojeunostomy in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy.Methods The retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 6 patients with gastric cancer who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between May 2016 and August 2016 were collected.All the 6 patients underwent totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy,operation procedures included esophagus and stomach mobilization,lymph node dissection,π-shaped esophagojejunostomy,and then laparoscopic digestive tract reconstruction after jejunojejunal anastomosis.Observation indicators included:(1) surgical situations:conversion to open surgery,operation time,time of π-shaped esophagojejunostomy,volume of intraoperative blood loss,number of lymph node dissected;(2) postoperative situations:time for initial out-of-bed activity,time of initial anal exsufflation,time of initial liquid diet intake,time of abdominal drainage tube removal,postoperative complications and duration of postoperative hospital stay;(3) postoperative pathological examination;(4) follow-up and survival situations.Follow-up using outpatient examination was performed to detect the anastomotic stenosis,patients' survival and tumor metastasis and recurrence up to November 2016.The measurement data with normal distribution were represented as (x)±s.Results (1) Surgical situations:all the 6 patients underwent successful totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy using the π-shaped esophagojejunostomy,without conversion to open surgery and perioperative death.Operation time,time of π-shaped esophagojejunostomy,volume of intraoperative blood loss and number of lymph node dissected were respectively (282 ± 49) minutes,(37 ± 9) minutes,(37 ± 8) mL and 39 9.(2) Postoperative situations:time for initial out-of-bed activity,time of initial anal exsufflation,time of initial liquid-diet intake,time of abdominal drainage tube removal and duration of postoperative hospital stay of 6 patients were (44± 38)hours,(72±21)hours,(6.5±l.1)days,(11±7) days and (15±7) days,respectively.Six patients were not complicated with postoperative hemorrhage,duodenal stump fistula and death.One patient with anastomotic fistula was cured by abdominal puncture drainage under guidance of computed tomography (CT),enteral nutrition and antibiotic therapy,and then was discharged from hospital.(3) Postoperative pathological examination:pTNM staging showed that stage Ⅰ A,Ⅱ A,ⅡB and ⅢA were detected in 3,1,1 and 1 patients,respectively.(4) Follow-up and survival situations:6 patients were followed up for 3-6 months,with a median time of 4 months.During follow-up,results of compound meglumine diatrizoate gastrointestinal radiography showed that there were smooth anastomoses,and no tumor recurrence or metastasis and death.Conclusion The π-shaped esophagojejunostomy is safe and feasible in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy.

Application value of the modified Overlap method in digestive tract reconstruction of totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To investigate the application value of the modified Overlap method in digestive tract reconstruction of totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG).Methods The retrospective cohort study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 50 patients with gastric cancer who underwent TLTG with Overlap anastomosis between January 2016 and December 2016 in the Tangdu Hospital of the Fourth Military Medical University were collected.Twenty-six patients using classic Overlap method and 24 patients using modified Overlap method were respectively allocated into the classic Overlap group and modified Overlap group.All the patients underwent D2 lymph node dissection.Patients in the classic Overlap group underwent totally laparoscopic catastalsis side-to-side esophagojejunostomy.During digestive tract reconstruction in the modified Overlap group,there was no esophageal transection before anastomosis,and gastric fundus traction fully exposed to the lower esophagus.Esophagus was spun anticlockwise,and a hole was opened at the left posterior esophageal wall.Transection of jejunum was 25 cm away from Treitz ligment,and opening a hole at mesenteric margin was 6 cm away from distal jejunum to transected end of jejunum.Esophagus-distal jejunum side-to-side anastomosis was done using 60 mm linear stapler,and then laterally closing openings and transecting esophagus.Observation indicators:(1) intra-and post-operative recovery:total operation time,time of esophagus-jejunum anastomosis,volume of intraoperative blood loss,number of lymph node dissected,time to anal exsufflation,cases with complications and duration of postoperative hospital stay;(2) follow-up and survival.Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect the postoperative tumor-free survival and tumor recurrence or metastasis up to March 2017.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as (x)±s and comparison between groups was analyzed using the independent-sample t test.Comparison of count data was analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability.Results (1) Intra-and post-operative recovery:all the 50 patients underwent successful TLTG using Overlap method,without conversion to open surgery.Total operation time and time of esophagus-jejunum anastomosis were respectively (278.6± 14.9) minutes,(46.5 ± 4.4) minutes in the classic Overlap group and (253.3 ± 12.8) minutes,(20.4 ± 2.3) minutes in the modified Overlap group,with statistically significant differences between the 2 groups (t =5.459,22.482,P＜0.05).Volume of intraoperative blood loss,number of lymph node dissected,time to anal exsufflation,cases with complications and duration of postoperative hospital stay were respectively (73±25) mL,34±6,(2.7± 1.0) days,2,(9.7± 1.6) days in the classic Overlap group and (71 ± 22) mL,35± 5,(2.6± 1.3) days,2,(9.8± 1.5) days in the modified Overlap group,with no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (t =0.175,-0.616,0.293,-0.217,P＞ 0.05).Two patients in the classic Overlap group were respectively complicated with esophagus-jejunum anastomotic fistula and pancreatic leakage,2 patients in the modified Overlap group were respectively complicated with pulmonary infection and subcutaneous emphysema,and they were improved by symptomatic treatment.(2) Follow-up and survival:41 of 50 patients were followed up for 3-15 months,with a median time of 7 months,including 20 in the classic Overlap group and 21 in the modified Overlap group.During follow-up,patients had tumor-free survival,without tumor recurrence and metastasis.Conclusion Compared with classic Overlap method,the modified Overlap method can simplify the anastomotic procedures,shorten operation time and achieve similar efficacy,and it is also a simple and effective method for digestive tract reconstruction after TLTG.

Clinical efficacies of totally laparoscopic and laparoscopy-assisted radical total gastrectomies in 373 patients: a multicentre retrospective study / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To compare the clinical efficacies of totally laparoscopic and laparoscopy-assisted radical total gastrectomies.Methods The retrospective cohort study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 373 patients with gastric cancer who underwent totally laparoscopic or laparoscopy-assisted radical total gastrectomies from the 7 medical centers in China (82 patients in the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University,80 in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong Province,60 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University,51 in the Hangzhou First People's Hospital,46 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,30 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University and 24 in the Xijing Hospital of the Fouth Military Medical University) between January 2015 and December 2016 were collected.Of 373 patients,the 183 and 190 patients were respectively divided into the totally laparoscopic group (undergoing totally laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy) and laparoscopy-assisted group (undergoing laparoscopy-assisted radical total gastrectomy),including 63 and 19 in the Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University,36 and 44 in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangdong Province,25 and 35 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University,20 and 31 in the Hangzhou First People's Hospital,10 and 36 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University,17 and 13 in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jilin University,12 and 12 in the Xijing Hospital of the Fouth Military Medical University.Routine five-port method was applied for laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy and D2 lymphadenectomy.Roux-en-Y anastomosis was applied for digestive tract reconstruction,and digestive tract reconstruction was performed under laparoscopy in the totally laparoscopic group and via upper abdominal median incision in the laparoscopy-assisted group.Observation indicators:(1) operation and postoperative situations;(2) follow-up and survival situations.Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect the postoperative overall survival and tumor recurrence or metastasis up to March 2017.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as x±s.Comparison between the groups was analyzed by the t test.Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range).Comparisons of count data were analyzed using the chi-square test and Fisher exact probability.Results (1)Operation and postoperative situations:all the patients in the 2 groups underwent successful operations,without perioperative death.Esophagojejunostomy methods of 183 patients in totally laparoscopic group:conventional circular stapler method were performed in 28 patients,anti-puncture circular staplar method in 6 patients,OrVilTM method in 5 patients,functional end-to-end esophagojejunostomy method in 65 patients and peristalsis side-to-side esophagojejunostomy method in 79 patients.Conventional circular stapler method was applied to 190 patients in the laparoscopy-assisted group.Operation time,time of esophagojejunostomy,length of assisted incision,using time of analgesics and expenses of digestive tract reconstruction were (238± 55)minutes,(29±9)minutes,(5.1 ± 1.1)cm,(2.2±l.0)days,(18 332±2 141)yuan in the totally laparoscopic group and (217±39)minutes,(26±7)minutes,(7.8 ±2.0)cm,(2.7± 0.9)days,(16 237 ± 1 923)yuan in the laparoscopy-assisted group,respectively,with statistically significant differences between the 2 groups (t =4.324,3.455,-16.835,-5.561,9.949,P＜0.05).The cases with postoperative overall complications,anastomosis leakage,anastomosis stricture,anastomosis bleeding and expenses of esophagojejunostomy were respectively 24,9,7,5,(9 668±2 814)yuan in the totally laparoscopic group and 24,8,9,6,(9 331 ±2 067)yuan in the laparoscopy-assisted group,with no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (x2 =0.036,0.107,0.189,0.059,t=1.322,P＞0.05).All the patients with postoperative complications were cured by symptomatic treatment.(2) Follow-up and survival situations:of 373 patients,336 were followed up for 4-26 months,with a median time of 13 months,including 166 in the totally laparoscopic group and 170 in the laparoscopy-assisted group.During the follow-up,cases with overall survival,tumor recurrence and tunor metastasis were respectively 150,10,16 in the totally laparoscopic group and 154,9,16 in the laparoscopy-assisted group (10 and 9 patients in the totally laparoscopic and laparoscopy-assisted groups with simutaneous tumor recurrence and metastasis),showing no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (x2 =0.075,0.010,P＞0.05).Conclusions Total laparoscopic and laparoscopyassisted radical total gastrectomies are safe and feasible,with equivalent overall outcomes and effects of esophagojejunostomy.Compared with laparoscopy-assisted radical total gastrectomy,the postoperative pain time of patients in total laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy is less,but there are longer time of esophagojejunostomy and higher expenses of digestive tract reconstruction.

Two-Layer Hand-Sewn Esophagojejunostomy in Totally Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

PURPOSE: Different esophagojejunostomy (EJ) reconstruction methods are used after totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG), and none is considered a standard technique. This report describes a 2-layer hand-sewn EJ technique during TLTG; we also evaluated postoperative morbidity associated with this technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included all consecutive patients who underwent TLTG for gastric cancer (GC) from 2012 to 2016 at 2 affiliated teaching hospitals. All participating surgeons performed standardized intracorporeal 2-layer hand-sewn EJ. RESULTS: We included 51 patients who underwent TLTG for GC and standardized EJ anastomosis. Twenty-seven (53%) were male, and the median age was 60 (36–87) years. The average operative time was 337±71 minutes and intraoperative bleeding was 160±107 mL. There were no open conversions related to EJ. Postoperative morbidity was observed in 9 (17.0%) patients. There was no postoperative mortality. EJ leakage was observed in 2 patients (3.8%) and 1 patient (1.9%) developed EJ stenosis. Patients with leakage were managed non-operatively and the patient with stenosis required endoscopic dilation. The median length of hospital stay was 8 (6–29) days. CONCLUSIONS: Two-layer hand-sewn EJ during TLTG for GC is a feasible and safe technique. This method avoids a laparotomy for reconstruction and the disadvantages associated with laparoscopic introduction of mechanical staplers for EJ, and provides an alternative for alimentary tract reconstruction after TLTG.