Functional Outcomes of Billroth I Gastroduodenostomy Using Linear Staplers in Totally Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIM: This study examined whether functional outcomes of linear-stapled Billroth I (LS-BI) in totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) are comparable to those of circular-stapled Billroth I (CS-BI) in laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG).

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

This was a retrospective study of patients with gastric cancer undergoing TLDG with LS-BI (n=50) or LADG with CS-BI (n=50). Postoperative endoscopic findings of the remnant stomach and nutritional status were evaluated.

RESULTS

The occurrence of grade 2 or more severe remnant gastritis in the LS-BI group (46.0%) was significantly higher than that in the CS-BI group (18.0%) (p=0.005), whereas there was no significant difference in the incidence of residual food and bile reflux between the two groups. Postoperative changes in body weight, and serum albumin and total protein levels were similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

TLDG with LS-BI may be a good alternative to LADG with CS-BI because of its comparable nutritional outcomes, but with a higher occurrence of remnant gastritis.