BackgroundSeveral studies have suggested no difference in the liver function of early gastric cancer (EGC) patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) between laparoscopic and open distal gastrectomy. However, the number of patients and comparison of long-term survival rates between the two groups are limited. The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term survival and immediate postoperative liver function of EGC patients with LC after laparoscopic and open distal gastrectomy.Materials and methodsThe clinical data of EGC patients with LC who had no other malignancy and underwent distal gastrectomy at Asan Medical Center between January 2005 and April 2013 were investigated retrospectively. All patients were divided into two groups: the open group (OG) and laparoscopic group (LG). The clinicopathologic data of the two groups were compared.ResultsThe number of patients in each group was 48 and 27 in the OG and LG, respectively. There were no significant differences in the age, sex ratio, ASA score, cause of liver cirrhosis, preoperative Child-Pugh classification, tumor location, TNM stage, total postoperative drain amount, albumin, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, prothrombin time, morbidity and recurrence rate. Shorter hospital stay, longer operative time and more retrieved lymph nodes were observed in LG. The long-term overall survival rate was not different between the two groups (P = 0.356).ConclusionsFor EGC patients with liver cirrhosis, especially Child A cirrhosis, laparoscopic or laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy can be a safe surgical procedure in comparison to open distal gastrectomy in terms of the long-term survival rate and immediate postoperative liver function.

Gastric cancer with pregnancy is rare and usually presents in late and advanced stage. Standard interventions in diagnosing, staging and treatment of cancer may be harmful for the fetus. The treatment of cancer in pregnancy should not differ significantly from the treatment in nonpregnant women. There have been case reports of open gastrectomy for gastric cancer in pregnancy. We present a case of early gastric cancer in a 37-year-old pregnant woman treated with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with lymph node dissection with no postoperative complications. Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with lymph node dissection seems to be feasible and safe in pregnancy for a mother and a fetus.

Desmoid tumors of the small bowel wall are rare tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. The signs and symptoms ranging from non-specific to severe abdominal pain to the sensation of a mass and abdominal fullness. We present the case of a 48-year-old man who presented 3 years post-one-anastomosis gastric bypass (mini-gastric bypass) with vague abdominal pain and early satiety of one-month duration. A CT scan of the abdomen revealed a well-defined compressive mass in the left hypochondrium. A laparoscopic exploration was performed, but it was converted into a laparotomy due to the huge size of the mass. The desmoid tumor at the gastrojejunal anastomosis was resected, followed by a Roux-en-Y reconstruction. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged on the seventh day post-operation. He did not show any signs or symptoms suggestive of complications or recurrence during his follow-up.