[Laparoscopic subtotal distal resection for distal gastric cancer].

Objective: To analyze the primary experience of laparoscopic distal gastrectomy in patients with distal gastric cancer.

Material And Methods: There were 21 laparoscopic distal gastrectomies in patients with antrum malignancies. Mean age of patients was 63.7±6.3 years. According to TNM staging system, cancer stage I was detected in 90% of patients (=19), stage IIa - in 10% (=2) of patients.

Results: Duration of distal gastrectomy was 190.4±51.6 minutes, blood loss - 90.3±51.2 ml. The number of harvested lymph nodes was 21.2±5.1. We were able to reach R0 resection edge in all patients. Length of hospital-stay was 7.6±2.3 days, incidence of postoperative complications - 23.8%. Complications Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb-V were observed in 9.5% of patients (=2). Overall postoperative mortality was 4.7% (=1). No progression of the underlying disease has been revealed in any patient throughout the follow-up period (since May 2018). To date, the maximum median follow-up is 25 months of overall and disease-free survival.

Conclusion: Laparoscopic subtotal distal resection is appropriate intervention ensuring R0 resection edge in most cases.