Comparison of short-term postoperative outcomes in totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy versus laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy

Effectiveness of Intraoperative Endoscopy for Localization of Early Gastric Cancer during Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy

INTRODUCTION

Intraoperative localization of tumors has been considered crucial in determining adequate resection margins during laparoscopic gastrectomy for early gastric cancer (EGC). This study has evaluated the effectiveness of intraoperative endoscopy for localization of EGC during the totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.

METHODS

Patients with EGC who received totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy from January 2018 to March 2020 were included in this study. Except the tumors located in the antrum, the patients were categorized into two groups: no localization procedure (n = 144) and intraoperative endoscopy (n = 65). To evaluate the effectiveness of the localization procedure, proximal resection margin (PRM) involvement by the tumor and approximation of optimal PRM were compared, including their postoperative outcomes.

RESULTS

There were 3 patients (2.1%) with tumor involvement of the PRM at the initial gastric resection in the no localization group. Distance from the tumor to the PRM was determined to be not significantly different between the no localization group and intraoperative endoscopy group. The PRM distribution pattern and reconstruction method were also not significantly different between the two groups.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

Intraoperative endoscopy for localization of EGC is an effective method to avoid tumor involvement at the resection margin during the laparoscopic gastrectomy with intracorporeal gastric resection and reconstruction.

Clinical Significance of Intra-operative Gastroscopy for Tumor Localization in Totally Laparoscopic Partial Gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

Tumor localization during totally laparoscopic gastrectomy is challenging owing to the invisibility of tumors on the serosal surface. We aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of intra-operative gastroscopy in totally laparoscopic partial gastrectomy.

METHODS

We reviewed 1084 gastric cancer patients who underwent either intra- or extracorporeal partial gastrectomy between 2014 and 2018. The intracorporeal group with intra-operative gastroscopy (intra-operative gastroscopy group, n = 187), the intracorporeal group without intra-operative gastroscopy (non-intra-operative gastroscopy group, n = 267), and the extracorporeal group (n = 630) were evaluated for the adequacy of surgical resection margins. We assessed whether total gastrectomy could be avoided according to the performance of intra-operative gastroscopy if the tumor was located within 3-5 cm away from the gastroesophageal junction.

RESULTS

The proximal margin positivity was lesser in the intra-operative gastroscopy group than in the non-intra-operative gastroscopy group (0% versus 2.2%; P = 0.045) but similar to that in the extracorporeal group (0% versus 0.6%; P = 0.579). The number of cases with proximal resection margins < 1 cm was lower in the intra-operative gastroscopy group than in the non-intra-operative gastroscopy group (3.7% versus 9.4%; P = 0.025) but comparable with that in the extracorporeal group (3.7% versus 4.1%; P = 0.815). Among 94 patients with lesions located within 3-5 cm apart from the gastroesophageal junction, the intra-operative gastroscopy group (n = 47) had fewer patients who underwent total gastrectomy than the non-intra-operative gastroscopy group (n = 47) (12.8% versus 44.7%; P = 0.001). Intra-operative gastroscopy was the only independent factor that prevented total gastrectomy (P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Intra-operative gastroscopy can provide margin safety during intracorporeal partial gastrectomy, avoiding unnecessary total gastrectomy.

Recent Status of Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy in Korea: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study (Pre-study Survey of KLASS-07 Trial)

Purpose: To analyze the surgical trend and brief postoperative results of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) in Korea on the basis of a multicenter cohort.

Materials and Methods: Data of 812 patients who underwent LDG between January and December 2016 were collected from 14 surgeons at 7 institutions. Patients were divided into laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) group and totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) group. Perioperative and clinicopathologic outcomes were compared retrospectively.

Results: Among the patients [n = 222 (27.3%) LADG; n = 590 (72.7%) TLDG], there are no significant differences in patient's demographics (sex, age, body mass index, and American Society of Anesthesiologists score). Billroth-I anastomosis (84.7%) was most performed in the LADG group, but Billroth-II anastomosis (59.0%) in the TLDG group (p < 0.001). The mean operative time was longer in the TLDG group (197.3 ± 44.4 min vs. 222.0 ± 60.2 min, p < 0.001), and there was no statistical difference in the hospital stay between the two groups (9.6 ± 4.8 days vs. 8.9 ± 7.1 days, p = 0.149). There were no significant differences in morbidity and mortality between the two groups. The length of proximal margin was longer in the TLDG group (4.3 ± 3.1 cm vs. 6.0 ± 3.4 cm, p < 0.001), but the distal margin was longer in the LADG group (6.5 ± 3.7 cm vs. 5.5 ± 3.1 cm, p < 0.001). The distribution of operations among each institution was shown very heterogeneously.

Conclusion: There was no significant difference related to surgical outcome between LADG and TLDG in pre-study survey prior to KLASS-07 trial. Therefore, to obtain more reliable data, well designed prospective randomized controlled study is needed.

Intracorporeal versus extracorporeal anastomosis after laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer. A systematic review with meta-analysis

AIM

To perform a systematic review and meta-analyses of studies comparing the totally laparoscopic procedures with intracorporeal anastomosis (IA) to laparoscopic-assisted surgery with extracorporeal anastomosis (EA) in gastric resections.

METHODS

We performed a systematic search in the electronic databases. Outcomes analysed were: intraoperative (operative time and intraoperative blood loss), oncologic (harvested nodes, distance of the tumour from proximal and distal margin), postoperative complications (gastric stasis, intraluminal and extraluminal bleeding, leakage and wound infection) recovery (time to first flatus, time to first oral intake and hospital stay). We performed meta-regression analyses after implementing a regression model with the analysed outcomes as dependent variables (y) and the demographic and pathologic covariates as independent variables (x).

RESULTS

A total of 26 studies (20 on distal gastrectomy and 6 on total gastrectomy) were included in the final analysis. Regarding distal gastrectomy, there was no statistical difference between the two groups in the above-mentioned outcomes, except for intraoperative blood loss (less in IA group, P=0.003), number of harvested nodes (better in the IA group, P=0.022) and length of hospital stay (shorter in the IA group, P=0.037). Regarding total gastrectomy, there was no statistical difference for all outcomes, except for the distal margin (further in the EA group, P=0.040). Meta-regression analysis showed that a lot of variables influenced results in distal gastric resections, but not in total gastric resections.

CONCLUSION

We can state laparoscopic gastric resections with IA are safe and feasible when performed by expert surgeons. However, new well-designed studies comparing the two techniques are needed to confirm the benefits of laparoscopic IA.

Equivalent feasibility and safety of perioperative care by ERAS in open and laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a single-institution ancillary study using the patient cohort enrolled in the JCOG0912 phase III trial

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) has an advantage of earlier recovery after surgery due to having lower invasiveness and wound pain than open distal gastrectomy (ODG). However, whether the same enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program for LADG is equally feasible and safe for ODG remains unclear.

METHODS

We retrospectively extracted the clinical data of the patients enrolled in JCOG0912 from the medical record system of our hospital and compared the treatment process and short-term surgical outcomes between LADG and ODG. Our ERAS program consisted of 13 elements (4 preoperative, 4 intraoperative, and 5 postoperative elements). The morbidity was defined as complications of grade 2 or more.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-three patients were entered from our hospital and randomized to undergo ODG (82 patients) or LADG (81 patients). The patient's backgrounds, surgical outcomes, and pathological outcomes were similar between the ODG and LADG groups. The rate of completing the clinical pathway was 95.1% in both groups, and the rates of completing each ERAS element were similar. However, the additional use of acetaminophen was significantly more frequent in the ODG group than in the LADG group (18.3% vs. 6.2%, p = 0.03). The median hospital stay after surgery was 9 days in both groups. Morbidity, defined as Clavien-Dindo classification > grade 2, was observed in 6.1% of the ODG group and 11.1% of the LADG group. No mortality occurred in either group.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the regimen of perioperative care performed by the ERAS program for LADG was equally feasible and safe for ODG with additional pain control. Less pain observed in LADG was not so apparent advantage for completion and safety of ERAS care.

Risk Factors for the Development of Incisional Hernia in Mini-laparotomy Wounds Following Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Purpose

To determine the incidence of incisional hernia (IH) in mini-laparotomy wounds and analyze the risk factors of IH following laparoscopic distal gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer.

Materials and Methods

A total of 565 patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer at Dong-A University Hospital, Busan, South Korea, between June 2010 and December 2015, were enrolled. IH was diagnosed through physical examination or computed tomography imaging. Incidence rate and risk factors of IH were evaluated through a long-term follow-up.

Results

Of those enrolled, 16 patients (2.8%) developed IH. The median duration of follow-up was 58 months (range, 25–90 months). Of the 16 patients with IH, 15 (93.7%) were diagnosed within 12 months postoperatively. Multivariate analysis showed that female sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.869; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.325–11.296), higher body mass index (BMI; OR, 1.229; 95% CI, 1.048–1.422), and presence of comorbidity (OR, 3.806; 95% CI, 1.212–11.948) were significant risk factors of IH. The vast majority of IH cases (15/16 patients, 93.7%) developed in the totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) group. However, the type of surgery (i.e., TLDG or laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy) did not significantly affect the development of IH (P=0.060).

Conclusions

A median follow-up of 58 months showed that the overall incidence of IH in mini-laparotomy wounds was 2.8%. Multivariate analysis showed that female sex, higher BMI, and presence of comorbidity were significant risk factors of IH. Thus, surgeons should monitor the closure of mini-laparotomy wounds in patients with risk factors of IH undergoing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.

Totally laparoscopic verse laparoscopic assisted distal gastrostomy for gastric cancer: an update meta-analysis

Totally laparoscopic distal gastrostomy (TLDG) and laparoscopic- assisted distal gastrostomy (LADG) are the minimally invasive surgical technology for gastric cancer. This study aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of these two methods. Relevant studies were selected through electronic searches of EMBASE, PubMed and Web of Science. In total, 21 non-randomized controlled studies containing 2475 patients in the totally laparoscopic distal gastrostomy and 1889 patients in the laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrostomy were included in this study. And operative time, operative blood loss, retrieved lymph nodes, time to liquid diet (days), postoperative hospital stay and overall complications were pooled and compared using meta-analysis. There were no significant differences between operative time (WMD = 0.38, 95% CI –10.43 –11.18, P = 0.95) and overall complications (RR = 1.09, 95% CI 0.91–1.30, P = 0.36). But totally laparoscopic distal gastrostomy had more advantages in aspects of intraoperative blood loss (WMD = 24.4, 95% CI 12.45–36.36, P < 0.0001), time to liquid diet (days) (WMD = 0.21, 95% CI 0.03–0.40, P = 0.03) and postoperative hospital stay (WMD = 0.72, 95% CI 0.31–1.13, P = 0.0006). Moreover, totally laparoscopic distal gastrostomy had more retrieved lymph nodes (WMD = –1.24, 95% CI–1.90 to–0.58, P = 0.0002). This meta-analysis indicates that totally laparoscopic distal gastrostomy may be a safe, feasible, and favorable surgical technology in terms of less blood loss, faster liquid diet, shorter postoperative hospital stay and more lymph nodes retrieved.

Laparoscopic reinforcement suture on staple-line of duodenal stump using barbed suture during laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer

Purpose

Duodenal stump fistula (DSF) is a serious complication after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Although risk evaluation and management of DSF were presented by some investigators, there was no technical attempt has been made to prevent DSF during laparoscopic gastrectomy until now.

Methods

Consecutive 99 patients were enrolled from April 2014 to February 2016 in 2 institutes. All patients were performed laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer. After cutting of duodenal stump, laparoscopic reinforcement suture (LARS) commenced with continuous invagination method or interrupted method by barbed suture. Clinicopathologic features and postoperative outcomes were analyzed.

Results

Fifty-six patients had comorbidity including 5 patients with duodenal ulcer. Most patients were performed distal gastrectomy with B-II, and 10 patients total gastrectomy with Roux en Y esophagojejunostomy. Although there were 2 esophagojejunostomy leakage and 1 artificial lesser curvature leakage, DSF did not occurred at all in this study. Mean operation time was 3 hours and mean LARS procedure time was 8 minutes.

Conclusion

LARS of duodenal stump can be considered as one of prevention methods of DSF during laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer. So this new technique will be necessary to appropriately evaluate by prospective randomized controlled trial in the future.

Use of endoscopy to determine the resection margin during laparoscopic gastrectomy for cancer

Background

It can be difficult to determine the transection line during totally laparoscopic surgery for early gastric cancer owing to lack of tactile feedback. This retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the role of intraoperative endoscopy in determining the resection margin in totally laparoscopic gastrectomy.

Methods

Consecutive patients with histologically confirmed gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy between March 2012 and July 2015 were eligible. Preoperative placement of marking clips and intraoperative endoscopy were performed to determine the resection margin. Frozen-section analyses were also performed to confirm the absence of cancer cells at the surgical margin. Success was defined as the proportion of specimens with all clips present and by the proportion of resections with a negative surgical margin following initial transection.

Results

Total laparoscopic gastrectomy with intraoperative endoscopy was performed in 522 patients; a total of 662 surgical margins were analysed. The overall success rate was 99·8 per cent (661 of 662 margins). The success rate of achieving a negative surgical margin during the initial transection was 98·9 per cent (550 of 556 margins).

Conclusion

Preoperative placement of marking clips and intraoperative endoscopy is helpful in the determination of a safe surgical margin in patients with gastric cancer who undergo laparoscopic gastrectomy.

Laparoscopic gastrectomy in obese gastric cancer patients: a comparative study with non-obese patients and evaluation of difference in laparoscopic methods

Background

Obesity is a growing epidemic around the world, and obese patients are generally regarded as high risk for surgery compared with normal weight patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of obesity on the surgical outcomes of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) for gastric cancer.

Methods

We reviewed data for all patients undergoing LG for gastric cancer at our institute between October 2004 and December 2016. Patients were divided into non-obese and obese groups and the perioperative outcomes were compared. Furthermore, a subgroup analysis was conducted to evaluate which of the two commonly used methods of LG, laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) and totally laparoscopic gastrectomy (TLG), is more suitable for obese patients.

Results

A total of 1691 patients, 1255 non-obese and 436 obese or overweight patients, underwent LG during the study period. The mean operation time was significantly longer in the obese group than in the non-obese group (209.9 ± 29.7 vs. 227.2 ± 25.7 min, P < 0.01), and intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower in the non-obese group (113.4 ± 34.1 vs. 136.9 ± 36.7 ml, P < 0.01). Time to first flatus, time to oral intake, and postoperative hospital stay were significantly shorter in the non-obese group than in the obese group (3.3 ± 0.8 vs. 3.6 ± 0.9 days; 4.3 ± 1.0 vs. 4.6 ± 1.0 days; and 9.0 ± 2.2 vs. 9.6 ± 2.2 days, respectively; P < 0.01). 119 (9.5%) of the non-obese patients had postoperative complications as compared to 44 (10.1%) of the obese patients (P = 0.71). In the subgroup analysis of all patients, TLG showed improved results for early surgical outcomes compared to LAG, mainly due to its advantages in obese patients.

Conclusions

Obesity is associated with long operation time, increased blood loss, and slow recovery after laparoscopic gastric resection but does not affect intraoperative security or effectiveness. TLG may have less negative results in obese patients than LAG due to a variety of reasons. Our analysis shows that TLG is more advantageous, with regard to early surgical outcomes, for obese patients.

Short-term surgical outcomes of laparoscopy-assisted versus totally laparoscopic Billroth-II gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a matched-cohort study

BACKGROUND

To evaluate feasibility and benefits of intracorporeal anastomosis, we compared short-term surgical outcomes between laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) and totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) with Billroth-II (B-II) anastomosis for gastric cancer.

METHODS

Sixty patients underwent attempted B-II TLDG from 2011 through 2013. Patients who underwent B-II LADG prior to 2011 were matched to TLDG cases for demographics, comorbidities, tumor characteristics, and TNM stage. Perioperative and short-term surgical outcomes were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Clinicopathological characteristics of both groups were comparable. The B-II TLDG group had a shorter hospital stay (9.4 vs. 12.0 days, P = 0.038) and average incision size was smaller (3.5 vs. 5.4 cm, P = 0.030) than in the B-II LADG group. Anastomotic leakage was not recorded in either group, and there were no differences in the rates of perioperative complications and in inflammatory parameters between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that B-II TLDG is feasible, compared to B-II LADG, and that it has several advantages over LADG, including a smaller incision, a shorter hospital stay, and more convenience during surgery. However, prospective randomized controlled studies are still needed to confirm that B-II TLDG can be used as a standard procedure for LDG.

Body composition changes after totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with delta-shaped anastomosis: a comparison with conventional Billroth I anastomosis

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to compare body composition changes of patients undergoing totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) with delta-shaped anastomosis (DSA) versus conventional laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (CLDG).

METHODS

Data from gastric cancer patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for histologically proven gastric cancer in KNUMC from January 2013 to May 2014 were collected and reviewed. We examined 85 consecutive patients undergoing TLDG or CLDG: 41 patients underwent TLDG and 44 patients underwent CLDG. Body composition was assessed by segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. We compared the changes in nutritional parameters and body composition from preoperative status between the two groups at postoperative 6 and 12 months.

RESULTS

All of the postoperative changes in the body composition and nutritional indices were similar between the two groups with the exception of visceral fat areas (VFAs) and albumin levels. VFAs increased at 6 months postoperatively in the TLDG group and a significant difference was shown at 12 months postoperatively between the TLDG and CLDG groups (86.7 ± 22.8 and 74.7 ± 21.9 cm(2), respectively, P < 0.05). Postoperative albumin levels were higher in the TLDG group with statistical significance at 6 and 12 months after surgery (6 months, P = 0.028; 12 months, P = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

The influence of TLDG with DSA on nutrition and body composition seemed comparable to those of CLDG. Six months postoperatively, VFAs and albumin levels were recovered in the TLDG group but not in the CLDG group. Thus, TLDG seems to be a novel surgical method.

Laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery: Current evidence and future perspectives

Laparoscopic gastrectomy has been widely accepted as a standard alternative for the treatment of early-stage gastric adenocarcinoma because of its favorable short-term outcomes. Although controversies exist, such as establishing clear indications, proper preoperative staging, and oncologic safety, experienced surgeons and institutions have applied this approach, along with various types of function-preserving surgery, for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. With technical advancement and the advent of state-of-the-art instruments, indications for laparoscopic gastrectomy are expected to expand as far as locally advanced gastric cancer. Laparoscopic gastrectomy appears to be promising; however, scientific evidence necessary to generalize this approach to a standard treatment for all relevant patients and care providers remains to be gathered. Several multicenter, prospective randomized trials in high-incidence countries are ongoing, and results from these trials will highlight the short- and long-term outcomes of the approach. In this review, we describe up-to-date findings and critical issues regarding laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Comparison of short-term outcomes and acute inflammatory response between laparoscopy-assisted and totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer

Purpose

Laparoscopic gastrectomy is widely used to treat early gastric cancer. The advantages of totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) are unproven, and some concerns remain regarding the early surgical outcomes due to its technical difficulty. We compared the early surgical outcomes and acute inflammatory response between patients undergoing TLDG and laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for treatment of early gastric cancer.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study on 212 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer between January 2008 and June 2014. A total of 179 LADG cases and 33 TLDG cases were included. After age, sex, body mass index, and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status score were matched using propensity score matching (PSM), we compared the short-term surgical outcomes between the LADG and TLDG groups.

Results

The TLDG group had a shorter hospital stay (9.5 days vs. 11.0 days, P = 0.046) and less blood loss (116.6 mL vs. 141.5 mL, P = 0.031) than those in the LADG group. There were no differences in the preoperative WBC count and CRP level and the other clinical data between the two groups after PSM. Postoperative WBC count, serum CRP level, and decrease rate of WBC count in the TLDG group were significantly lower than those in the LADG group.

Conclusion

The short-term outcomes of TLDG revealed better than that of LADG in this study. Therefore, TLDG is one of the safe and feasible procedure for the treatment of early gastric cancer.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of totally laparoscopic versus laparoscopic assisted distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) has been developed in the hope of improving surgical quality and overcoming the limitations of conventional laparoscopic assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of evidence in support of these ideals.

METHODS

A systematic review of the two operation types (LADG and TLDG) was carried out to evaluate short-term outcomes including duration of operation, retrieved lymph nodes, estimated blood loss, resection margin status, technical postoperative complications, and hospital stay.

RESULTS

Twelve non-randomized observational clinical studies involving 2,255 patients satisfied the eligibility criteria. Operative time was not statistically different between groups (P > 0.05). The number of retrieved lymph nodes and the resection margin length in TLDG were comparable with those in LADG. Estimated blood loss was significantly less in TLDG than that in LAG (P < 0.01). Compared to LADG, TLDG also involved lesser postoperative hospital stay (P < 0.01) and earlier time to soft diet intake (P < 0.05). Time to flatus and postoperative complications were similar for those two operative approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

TLDG may be a technically safe, feasible, and favorable approach in terms of better cosmesis, less blood loss, and faster recovery compared with LADG.

Uncut Roux-en-Y Reconstruction after Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy Can Be a Favorable Method in Terms of Gastritis, Bile Reflux, and Gastric Residue

Purpose

Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) is a well-established procedure for the treatment of early gastric cancer. Several reconstruction methods can be adopted after LDG according to tumor characteristics and surgeon preference. This study aimed to compare the remnant gastric functions after different reconstructions.

Materials and Methods

In total, 221 patients who underwent LDG between March 2005 and October 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were classified into four groups based on the reconstructive procedure: Billroth I (BI) anastomosis, Billroth II (BII) with Braun anastomosis, Roux-en-Y (RY) reconstruction, or uncut RY reconstruction. Patient demographics, surgical outcomes, and postoperative endoscopic findings were reviewed and compared among groups.

Results

Endoscopic evaluations at 11.8±3.8 months postoperatively showed less frequent gastritis and bile reflux in the remnant stomach in the RY group compared to the BI and BII groups. There was no significant difference in the gastric residue among the BI, BII, and RY groups. The incidence of gastritis and bile reflux in the uncut RY group was similar to that in the RY group, while residual gastric content in the uncut RY group was significantly smaller and less frequently observed than that in the RY group (5.8% versus 35.3%, P=0.010).

Conclusions

RY and uncut RY reconstructions are equally superior to BI and BII with Braun anastomoses in terms of gastritis and bile reflux in the remnant stomach. Furthermore, uncut RY reconstruction showed improved stasis compared to conventional RY gastrojejunostomy. Uncut RY reconstruction can be a favorable reconstructive procedure after LDG.