• Journal of Minimally Invasive Surgery
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.141-147
• /
• 2018

The rising incidence of early gastric cancer has enabled the development of function-preserving gastrectomy with the focus on post gastrectomy quality of life and adherence to sound oncologic principles. It is concurrent with the growing popularity of minimally invasive surgery; and both are commonly used together. The different kinds of function-preserving gastrectomy included in this review are: pylorus-preserving and proximal gastrectomy, vagus nerve preservation, sentinel node navigation, and various endoscopic & minimally-invasive techniques. In this article the indications, techniques, oncologic safety, functional benefit, and outcomes of each kind of function-preserving gastrectomy are discussed.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.63-71
• /
• 2016

Pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) is a function-preserving surgery for the treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC), aiming to decrease the complication rate and improve postoperative quality of life. According to the Japanese gastric cancer treatment guidelines, PPG can be performed for cT1N0M0 gastric cancer located in the middle-third of the stomach, at least 4.0 cm away from the pylorus. Although the length of the antral cuff gradually increased, from 1.5 cm during the initial use of the procedure to 3.0 cm currently, its optimal length still remains unclear. Standard procedures for the preservation of pyloric function, infra-pyloric vessels, and hepatic branch of the vagus nerve, make PPG technically more difficult and raise concerns about incomplete lymph node dissection. The short- and long-term oncological and survival outcomes of PPG were comparable to those for distal gastrectomy, but with several advantages such as a lower incidence of dumping syndrome, bile reflux, and gallstone formation, and improved nutritional status. Gastric stasis, a typical complication of PPG, can be effectively treated by balloon dilatation and stent insertion. Robot-assisted pylorus-preserving gastrectomy is feasible for EGC in the middle-third of the stomach in terms of the short-term clinical outcome. However, any benefits over laparoscopy-assisted PPG (LAPPG) from the patient's perspective have not yet been proven. An ongoing Korean multicenter randomized controlled trial (KLASS-04), which compares LAPPG and laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy for EGC in the middle-third of the stomach, may provide more clear evidence about the advantages and oncologic safety of PPG.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.200-206
• /
• 2016

In Korea, proximal gastrectomy has recently attracted attention as a better choice of function-preserving surgery for proximal early gastric cancer than total gastrectomy. Of the various strategies to overcome reflux symptoms from remnant stomach, double tract reconstruction not only reduces the incidence of anastomosis-related complications, but is also sufficiently reproducible as a laparoscopic procedure. Catching up with the recent rise of single-port laparoscopic surgeries, we performed a pure single-port laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with DTR. This procedure was designed by merging the function-preserving concept of proximal gastrectomy with single-port laparoscopic total gastrectomy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.49-61
• /
• 2019

Purpose: The perigastric vagus nerve may play an important role in preserving function after gastrectomy, and intraoperative neurophysiologic tests might represent a feasible method of evaluating the vagus nerve. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility of neurophysiologic evaluations of the function and viability of perigastric vagus nerve branches during gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: Thirteen patients (1 open total gastrectomy, 1 laparoscopic total gastrectomy, and 11 laparoscopic distal gastrectomy) were prospectively enrolled. The hepatic and celiac branches of the vagus nerve were exposed, and grabbing type stimulation electrodes were applied as follows: 10-30 mA intensity, 4 trains, $1,000{\mu}s/train$, and $5{\times}$frequency. Visible myocontractile movement and electrical signals were monitored via needle probes before and after gastrectomy. Gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 weeks and 3 months, respectively. Results: Responses were observed after stimulating the celiac branch in 10, 9, 10, and 6 patients in the antrum, pylorus, duodenum, and proximal jejunum, respectively. Ten patients responded to hepatic branch stimulation at the duodenum. After vagus-preserving distal gastrectomy, 2 patients lost responses to the celiac branch at the duodenum and jejunum (1 each), and 1 patient lost response to the hepatic branch at the duodenum. Significant procedure-related complications and meaningful postoperative diarrhea were not observed. Conclusions: Intraoperative neurophysiologic testing seems to be a feasible methodology for monitoring the perigastric vagus nerves. Innervation of the duodenum via the celiac branch and postoperative preservation of the function of the vagus nerves were confirmed in most patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.159-170
• /
• 2023

Maintaining the postoperative quality of life (QOL) while ensuring curability without overtreatment is important in the treatment of early gastric cancer. Postoperative QOL is anticipated to be maintained through minimally invasive function-preserving gastrectomy in early gastric cancer. The concept of the sentinel lymph node (SN) basin is essential to maintain the curability of early gastric cancer using minimally invasive function-preserving gastrectomy. However, additional resection after surgery is difficult to perform in gastric cancer. Thus, the SN basin theory is important. Recently, a multicenter randomized phase III trial in South Korea (SENORITA trial) proved that laparoscopic sentinel node navigation surgery (LSNNS) for stomach preservation results in better postoperative QOL compared with standard gastrectomy in patients with early gastric cancer. LSNNS contributes to patients' QOL based on the concept that curability is not impaired. A multicenter nonrandomized phase III trial is ongoing in Japan, and oncologic safety is expected to be demonstrated. LSNNS has been established as a treatment option for selected patients with early gastric cancer, and its application will become widespread in the future.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.86-93
• /
• 2011

Purpose: When performing a laparoscopic assisted gastrectomy, a function-preserving gastrectomy is performed depending on the location of the primary gastric cancer. This study examined the incidence of lymph node metastasis by the lymph node station number by tumor location to determine the optimal extent of the lymph node dissection. Materials and Methods: The subjects consisted of 1,510 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer who underwent a gastrectomy between 1996 and 2005. The patients were divided into three groups: upper, middle and lower third, depending on the location of the primary tumor. The lymph node metastasis patterns were analyzed in the total and early gastric cancer patients. Results: In all patients, lymph node station numbers 1, 2, 3, 7, 10 and 11 metastases were dominant in the cancer originating in the upper third, whereas station numbers 4, 5, 6 and 8 were dominant in the lower third. In early gastric cancer patients, the station number of lymph nodes with a metastasis did not show a significant difference in stage pT1a disease. On the other hand, a metastasis in lymph node station number 6 was dominant in stage pT1b disease that originated in the lower third of the stomach. Conclusions: When performing a laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy for early gastric cancer, a limited lymphadenectomy is considered adequate during a function-preserving gastrectomy in mucosal (T1a) cancer. On the other hand, for submucosal (T1b) cancer, a number 6 node dissection should be performed when performing a pylorus preserving gastrectomy.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.303-314
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The incidence of early gastric cancer is increasing in older patients alongside life expectancy. For early gastric cancer of the upper third of the stomach, laparoscopic function-preserving gastrectomy (LFPG), including laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy (LPG) and laparoscopic subtotal gastrectomy (LSTG), is expected to be an alternative to laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG). However, whether LFPG has advantages over LTG in older patients remains unknown. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of consecutive patients aged ≥75 years who underwent LTG, LPG, or LSTG for cT1N0M0 gastric cancer between 2005 and 2019. Surgical and nutritional outcomes, including blood parameters, percentage body weight (%BW) and percentage skeletal muscle index (%SMI) were compared between LTG and LPG or LSTG. Survival outcomes were also compared between LTG and LFPG groups. Results: A total of 111 patients who underwent LTG (n=39), LPG (n=48), and LSTG (n=24) were enrolled in this study. To match the surgical indications, LTG was further categorized into "LTG for LPG" (LTG-P) and "LTG for LSTG" (LTG-S). No significant differences were identified in the incidence of postoperative complications among the procedures. Postoperative nutritional parameters, %BW and %SMI were better after LPG and LSTG than after LTG-P and LTG-S, respectively. The survival outcomes of LFPG were better than those of LTG. Conclusions: LFPG is safe for older patients and has advantages over LTG in terms of postoperative nutritional parameters, body weight, skeletal muscle-sparing, and survival. Therefore, LFPG for upper early gastric cancer should be considered in older patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.135-144
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the surgical and oncological outcomes between totally laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (TLPPG) with intracorporeal anastomosis and laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (LAPPG) with extracorporeal anastomosis. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in 258 patients with cT1N0 gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy using two different anastomosis methods: TLPPG with intracorporeal anastomosis (n=88) and LAPPG with extracorporeal anastomosis (n=170). The following variables were compared between the two groups to assess the postoperative surgical and oncological outcomes: proximal and distal margins, number of resected lymph nodes (LNs) in total and in LN station 6, operation time, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative morbidity including delayed gastric emptying (DGE). Results: The average length of the proximal margin was similar between the TLPPG and LAPPG groups (2.35 vs. 2.73 cm, P=0.070). Although the distal margin was significantly shorter in the TLPPG group than in the LAPPG group (3.15 vs. 4.08 cm, P=0.001), no proximal or distal resection margin-positive cases were reported in either group. The average number of resected LN was similar in both groups (36.0 vs. 33.98, P=0.229; LN station 6, 5.72 vs. 5.33, P=0.399). The operation time was shorter in the TLPPG group than in the LAPPG (200.17 vs. 220.80 minutes, P=0.001). No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of postoperative hospital stay (9.38 vs. 10.10 days, P=0.426) and surgical complication rate (19.3% vs. 22.9%), including DGE (8.0% vs. 11.8%, P=0.343). Conclusions: The oncological safety and postoperative complications of TLPPG with intracorporeal anastomosis are similar to those of LAPPG with extracorporeal anastomosis.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.176-189
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study evaluated differences and shifting patterns in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of 5-year gastric cancer survivors after either a distal subtotal gastrectomy (DSG) or total gastrectomy (TG). Materials and Methods: We analyzed the prospectively collected HRQoL data of 528 patients who survived 5 years without recurrence using the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Core Quality of Life Questionnaire and the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire-Stomach module according to the type of surgery. The purpose was to identify the proportion of patients with deteriorating HRQoL and to assess the clinical significance of these changes. Results: Deteriorating HRQoL was prevalent in both groups, including a large proportion of the DSG group. Decreased overall health status and scores on several function scales were less in the DSG group, while increases on the symptom scales were higher in the TG group. For most of the scales, gaps in HRQoL during the early postoperative period did not merge within the 5 years. Scores on the diarrhea and body image scales revealed "moderate changes" in both groups. Conclusions: During the 5-year period after surgery, the TG group suffered from inferior HRQoL compared to the DSG group. However, a large proportion of the DSG group also suffered HRQoL deterioration. In general, the TG group experienced more HRQoL decline, with diarrhea and body image being the major concerns for both groups. To improve HRQoL after gastrectomy, patients must be better informed about post-gastrectomy symptoms. These symptoms must be vigorously investigated, and medical interventions should be available parallel to nutritional support. Favorable evidence of function-preserving gastrectomy should be established and disseminated to improve the HRQoL of early gastric cancer patients.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.20-26
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG), which retains pyloric ring and gastric function, has been accepted as a function-preserving procedure for early gastric cancer for the prevention of postgastrectomy syndrome. This study was compared laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preerving gastrectomy (LAPPG) with laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with Billroth-I reconstruction (LADGB I). Materials and Methods: Between November 2006 and September 2007, 39 patients with early gastric cancer underwent laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy in the Department of Surgery at Korea Cancer Center Hospital. 9 of these patients underwent LAPPG and 18 underwent LADGBI. When LAPPG was underwent, we preserved the pyloric branch, hepatic branch, and celiac branch of the vagus nerve, the infrapyloric artery, and the right gastric artery and performed D1+$\beta$ lymphadenectomy to the exclusion of suprapyloric lymph node dissection. The distal stomach was resected while retaining a $2.5{\sim}3.0\;cm$ pyloric cuff and maintaining a $3.0{\sim}4.0\;cm$ distal margin for the resection. Results: The mean age for patients who underwent LAPPG and LADGBI were $59.9{\pm}9.4$ year-old and $64.1{\pm}10.0$ year-old, respectively. The sex ratio was 1.3 : 1.0 (male 5, female 4) in the LAPPG group and 2.6 : 1.0 (male 13, female 5) in the LADGBI group. Mean total number of dissected lymph nodes ($28.3{\pm}11.9$ versus $28.1{\pm}8.9$), operation time ($269.0{\pm}34.4$ versus $236.3{\pm}39.6$ minutes), estimated blood loss ($191.1{\pm}85.7$ versus $218.3{\pm}150.6\;ml$), time to first flatus ($3.6{\pm}0.9$ versus $3.5{\pm}0.8$ days), time to start of diet ($5.1{\pm}0.9$ versus $5.1{\pm}1.7$ days), and postoperative hospital stay ($10.1{\pm}4.0$ versus $9.2{\pm}3.0$ days) were not found significant differences (P>0.05). The postoperative complications were 1 patient with gastric stasis and 1 patient with wound seroma in LAPPG group and 1 patient with left lateral segment infarct of liver in the LADGB I group. Conclusion: Patients treated by LAPPG showed a comparable quality of surgical operation compared with those treated by LADGBI. LAPPG has an important role in the surgical management of early gastric cancer in terms of quality of postoperative life. Randomized controlled studies should be undertaken to analyze the optimal survival and long-term outcomes of this operative procedure.