[Efficacy of reinforcement on duodenal stump using single purse-string suture during laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer].

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of reinforcement on duodenal stump using single purse-string suture during laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer in preventing duodenal stump leakage.

Methods

A descriptive cohort study was conducted to retrospectively collect clinical data of 211 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma who underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y or Billroth Ⅱ reconstruction and reinforcement on duodenal stump using laparoscopic single purse-string suture in Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University between January 2013 and December 2016. Of 211 patients, 136 were male and 75 were female with mean age of (57.5±11.1)(24 to 87) years. Tumors locating at gastric upper 1/3, middle 1/3 and low 1/3 were found in 62, 68 and 81 patients respectively. Eighty-three cases underwent total gastrectomy, 128 underwent distal subtotal gastrectomy, 107 underwent Roux-en-Y reconstruction and 104 underwent Billroth II reconstruction. The procedure of reinforcement on duodenal stump using single purse-string suture during laparoscopic radical gastrectomy was as follows: (1) after cutting the duodenal stump to about 2.0 cm in length, use a 3-0 single-strand absorbable suture to make a muscle layer purse at a distance of 1.0 to 1.5 cm from the duodenal stump; (2) use the purse line to make a slipknot; (3) push the duodenum stump into the purse with a needle holder or grasper; (4) tighten the knot of the purse string, and then make 4 to 5 knots for reinforcement. Postoperative complications were defined and graded according to the Clavien-Dindo grading criteria, and the incidence of early complications was recorded. Clinicopathologic features and postoperative outcomes were analyzed.

Results

All patients completed operations successfully. The mean time of laparoscopic single purse-string suture was (5.1±1.6) (3.6 to 10.2) minutes. Postoperative early complication occurred in 31 cases (14.7%), of whom 27 cases developed surgery-related complications (12.8%), including 7 cases (3.3%) of peritoneal infection, 6 (2.8%) of pancreatic leakage, 4 (1.9%) of wound infection, 4 (1.9%) of gastroplegia, 2 (0.9%) of peritoneal hemorrhage, 2 (0.9%) of intestinal obstruction, 2 (0.9%) of lymphatic leakage, and no duodenal stump leakage; while 4 cases (1.9%) developed internal non-surgical complication, including 3 cases (1.4%) of pulmonary infection and 1 (0.5%) of cardiovascular event. The patient with peritoneal hemorrhage was healed after re-operation and all other patients were discharged uneventfully after conservative treatment. Four cases (1.9%) developed complications beyond grade III a of Clavien-Dindo criteria.

Conclusion

Reinforcement on duodenal stump using laparoscopic single purse-string suture during laparoscopic radical gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y or Billroth II reconstruction is simple and effective, and can prevent the risk of development of duodenal stump leakage.