Intracorporeal stapled anastomosis following laparoscopic segmental gastrectomy for gastric cancer: technical report and surgical outcomes.

Background: Limited gastrectomy for early gastric body cancers can offer a better functional outcome by preserving more remnant stomach. Intracorporeal stapled techniques result in cosmesis and avoid awkward anastomosis through a minilaparotomy.

Methods: Laparoscopic segmental gastrectomy is indicated for early gastric cancers of the body of the stomach with no evidence of lymph node involvement. Laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy is a specific type of segmental resection for lower-body lesions with dissection of lymph nodes in station 6. Intracorporeal gastrogastric anastomosis is performed by the delta-shaped technique using linear staplers.

Results: Since January 2008 we have performed 12 laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomies and 13 laparoscopic segmental gastrectomies. All procedures were completed by laparoscopy. One patient with minor anastomotic leakage was managed conservatively. Bleeding from the anastomosis was not encountered in any of the patients. One patient developed narrowing at the anastomotic site and was treated successfully by balloon dilatation. There was no stasis encountered in any of the patients.

Conclusions: Laparoscopic segmental gastrectomy with acceptable surgical outcomes is technically feasible. Although the impact of such resections on oncological outcomes remains to be further evaluated, laparoscopic segmental gastrectomy represents a minimally invasive limited resection that maximizes the potential for a better quality of life following gastric cancer surgery.