Intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy using the double stapling technique after laparoscopic total gastrectomy: A retrospective case-series study.

AIM: To introduce a simple and safe anvil insertion technique to esophagus during laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG).

METHODS

Between July 2010 and December 2012, 58 consecutive patients with early gastric cancer underwent LTG were enrolled. We performed a simple and safe Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy using the double stapling technique to all patients. Then patients' characteristics, perioperative outcome and histopathologic data were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The mean age and body mass index were 59.3 ± 9.7 years and 22.7 ± 2.6 kg/m(2). The mean operation, reconstruction and anvil insertion times (from gastric incision to linear stapling) were 251.8 ± 57.0, 43.1 ± 2.8 and 4.2 ± 1.9 min, respectively. Intraoperative blood loss was 204.6 ± 156.3 mL and there was no open conversion. The postoperative complications were in 8 cases (delayed gastric emptying in 4 cases, pulmonary complication in 2 cases, pancreatitis in 1 case, anastomotic stricture in 1 case). Anastomotic stricture occurred after discharge and was recovered by endoscopic intervention. The patients were discharged at a mean of 9.6 ± 2.0 d after surgery. Neither leakage nor bleeding from the esophagojejunostomy occurred postoperatively. The mean proximal margin of specimen was 2.7 ± 2.8 cm

CONCLUSION

Roux-en Y esophagojejunostomy using the double stapling technique is simple and rapid, and it may offer a solid, alternative reconstruction method for LTG or proximal gastrectomy.