Comparative study of clinical outcomes between laparoscopy-assisted proximal gastrectomy (LAPG) and laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) for proximal gastric cancer
Gastric Cancer, 08/01/2012
Clinical Article
Ahn SH et al. – Laparoscopy–assisted proximal gastrectomy (LAPG) is a feasible and acceptable method for treating proximal early gastric cancer in terms of surgical and oncologic safety. However, esophagogastrostomy after LAPG was associated with an increased risk of reflux symptoms. Antireflux procedures should be considered to prevent reflux symptoms after LAPG.
Methods- Between June 2003 and December 2009, 131 patients with proximal gastric cancer underwent LAPG (n=50) or LATG (n=81) at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital.
- The authors reviewed their medical and surgical records from the prospectively collected gastric cancer database.
- The clinicopathologic characteristics and short–term, long–term, and functional outcomes were compared between the 2 groups.
- There were no significant differences in demographics, T–stage, N–stage, or survival between the 2 groups.
- The LAPG group had a shorter operative time and lower estimated blood loss than the LATG group.
- The early complication rates after the LAPG and LATG procedures were 24.0 and 17.3 %, respectively (p=0.349).
- The incidence of reflux symptoms was significantly higher in the LAPG group (32.0 vs. 3.7 %, p<0.001).
- The parameters that reflected nutritional status were similar in the 2 groups.



