Coeliac axis-oriented approach in surgery for advanced gastric cancer.

To achieve the systemic curative lymph node dissection in gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer, coeliac axis-oriented approach was proposed. Mobilization of the spleen as well as the tail and body of the pancreas from the left retroperitoneum and Kocher's maneuver lifting up the hepatoduodenal ligament and head of pancreas from the right retroperitoneum permits the observation of the coeliac axis under direct vision and enables the para-aortic node dissection with ease. This approach was applied to 131 cases with advanced gastric cancer with neither mortality nor notable complication.