Intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy using hemi-double-stapling technique after laparoscopic total gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients

Natural orifice specimen extraction with a modified reverse puncture device technique for total laparoscopic colorectal resection: feasibility and efficacy

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the modified reverse puncture device (mRPD) technique for transanal anastomosis in total laparoscopic colorectal resection with natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES).Methods: From August 2015 to September 2017, 34 patients underwent laparoscopic colorectal resection using the mRPD technique to place the anvil in the abdominal cavity and complete transanal anastomosis.Results: All patients who underwent total laparoscopic colorectal resection with NOSES were analyzed. The anvil placement time was 5-14 min, with an average of 6.7 min. The postoperative pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score was 1-4 points, with an average of 2.2 points. The postoperative hospital stay was 7-13 days, with an average of 8.7 days. No complications, such as anastomotic bleeding or stenosis, occurred. During a 14- to 28-month follow-up period (average, 19.5 months), no cases of long-term complications were observed.Conclusion: Total laparoscopic colorectal resection using mRPD is a technically feasible and safe procedure with satisfactory short-term efficacy.

Digestive tract reconstruction options after laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer

In addition to the popularity of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG), many reconstructive procedures after LG have been reported. Surgical resection and lymphatic dissection determine long-term survival; however, the election of a reconstruction procedure determines the postoperative quality of life for patients with gastric cancer (GC). Presently, no consensus exists regarding the optimal reconstructive procedure. In this review, the current state of digestive tract reconstruction after LG is reviewed. According to the determining influence of the tumor site on the procedures of surgical resection and reconstruction, we divide these reconstruction procedures into three categories consistent with the resection procedures. We focus on the technical tips of every reconstruction procedure and examine the surgical outcomes (length of surgery and blood loss) and postoperative complications (anastomotic leakage and stricture) to facilitate gastrointestinal surgeons to understand the merits and demerits of every reconstruction procedure.

Linear or circular stapler? A propensity score-matched, multicenter analysis of intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy following totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

Presently, there is no consensus as to what procedure of intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy (EJS) in totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) is best to reduce postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the superiority of linear stapled reconstruction in terms of anastomotic-related complications for EJS in TLTG.

METHODS

We collected data on 829 consecutive gastric cancer patients who underwent TLTG reconstructed by the Roux-en-Y method with radical lymphadenectomy between January 2010 and December 2016 in 13 hospitals. The patients were divided into two groups according to reconstruction method and matched by propensity score. Postoperative EJS-related complications were compared between the linear stapler (LS) and the circular stapler (CS) groups.

RESULTS

After matching, data from 196 patients in each group were analyzed. The overall incidence of EJS-related complications was significantly lower in the LS group than in the CS group (4.1% vs. 11.7%, p = 0.008). The incidence of EJS anastomotic stenosis during the first year after surgery was significantly lower in the LS group than in the CS group (1.5% vs. 7.1%, p = 0.011). The incidence of EJS bleeding did not differ significantly between the groups, although no bleeding was observed in the LS group (0% vs. 2.0%, p = 0.123). The incidence of EJS leakage did not differ significantly between the groups (2.6% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.771).

CONCLUSION

The use of linear stapled reconstruction is safer than the use of circular stapled reconstruction for intracorporeal EJS in TLTG because of its lower risks of stenosis.

Esophagojejunal Anastomosis after Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: Circular versus Linear Stapling

Purpose

No standard technique has been established for esophagojejunal anastomosis during laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) for gastric cancer owing to the technical difficulty and high complication rate of this procedure. This study was performed to compare the short-term outcomes of circular and linear stapling methods after LTG.

Materials and Methods

A total of 106 patients treated between July 2010 and July 2018 were divided into 2 groups according to the following anastomosis procedures: hemi-double-stapling technique (HDST; circular stapling method; group C, n=77) or overlap method (linear stapling method; group L, n= 29). The clinicopathological features and postoperative outcomes, including complications, were analyzed. Multivariate analysis was performed using a logistic regression model to identify the independent risk factors for anastomotic complications.

Results

The incidence of anastomotic complications was significantly higher in group C than in group L (28.0% vs. 6.9%, P=0.031). The incidence of anastomosis leakage did not differ between the groups (6.5% vs. 6.9%, P=1.000). However, anastomosis stricture occurred only in group C (13% vs. 0%, P=0.018). Multivariate analysis showed that the anastomosis type was significantly related to the risk of anastomotic complications (P=0.045).

Conclusions

The overlap method was superior to the HDST with respect to anastomotic complications, especially anastomosis stricture.

Reverse puncture device technique: an innovation of esophagojejunostomy in radical laparoscopic total gastrectomy

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, short- and long-term efficacy of a reverse puncture device (RPD) technique for esophagojejunostomy in laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy. Patients & methods: This retrospective study analyzed outcome data of 104 patients in propensity score matching whom were divided into the RPD and the purse-string suture technique group. Results: The RPD group had a shorter anvil placement time, shorter operative time, longer resected esophageal length, shorter incision length, shorter postoperative drainage time, shorter postoperative hospital stay and anastomotic complications than the purse-string suture technique group (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that BMI (odds ratio: 6.285, 1.446-27.322) and anvil placement time (odds ratio: 5.645, 1.089-29.321) were independent risk factors for anastomotic complications (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy using an RPD technique is feasible, safe and effective.

Current status of laparoscopic total gastrectomy

In this article, the current state of laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) was reviewed, focusing on lymph node dissection and reconstruction. Lymph node dissection in LTG is technically similar to that in laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer; however, LTG for advanced gastric cancer requires extended lymph node dissections including splenic hilar lymph nodes. Although a recent randomized controlled trial clearly indicated no survival benefit in prophylactic splenectomy for lymph node dissection at the splenic hilum, some patients may receive prognostic benefit from adequate splenic hilar lymph node dissection. Considering reconstruction, there are two major esophagojejunostomy (EJS) techniques, using a circular stapler (CS) or using a linear stapler (LS). A few studies have shown that the LS method has fewer complications; however, almost all studies have reported that morbidity (such as anastomotic leakage and stricture) is not significantly different for the two methods. As for CS, we grouped various studies addressing complications in LTG into categories according to the insertion procedure of the anvil and the insertion site in the abdominal wall for the CS. We compared the rate of complications, particularly for leakage and stricture. The rate of anastomotic leakage and stricture was the lowest when inserting the CS from the upper left abdomen and was significantly the highest when inserting the CS from the midline umbilical. Scrupulous attention to EJS techniques is required by surgeons with a clear understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each anastomotic device and approach.