Complications and mortality of total and subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer Background: Surgery for gastric cancer may have high rates of complications and mortality. Aim: To analyze operative mortality of total and subtotal gastrectomy in the period 2004-2010. Material and Methods: Prospective study 345 patients with gastric cancer, mean age 62 years, 64% males, subjected to a total or subtotal R0, R1 or R2 gastrectomy. All patients were assessed in the postoperative period and all complications were recorded. Results: Total and subtotal gastrectomies were performed in 224 and 69 patients respectively. Postoperative complications consisted in anastomotic leaks, duodenal stump leaks, hemoperitoneum, pulmonary infections and intestinal obstruction. Mortality of total gastrectomy R1 or R2 was 2.1% whereas palliative gastrectomy, to improve quality of life, had 15% mortality. Subtotal gastrectomy had 1.4% mortality. Conclusions: There has been a reduction in operative mortality of gastrectomy for gastric cancer, however the rate of complications has not changed.

There is controversy in some aspects of the surgical treatment of non-mucosal gallbladder carcinoma. An accurate staging based on T (wall) involvement is crucial, otherwise understanding may yield falsely pessimistic results. The decision about the type of resection to be performed should be based on patient status (age, performance, comorbidities, etc) and tumor characteristics (histological type, vascular, neural or lymphatic spread, cell differentiation, tumor involvement of surgical margins in cystic duct, etc). For muscular (T1b) involvement, there is a great controversy about performing a simple cholecystectomy or en-block radical resection. For T2 there is consensus that an en-block radical surgery including liver resection (IVb - V) and lymphonodal clearance should be performed, since this approach has a great impact in survival. The role of surgical excision for tumors with serosal or liver involvement is controversial, due to the poor survival of these patients. However we have observed a 13% actuarial survival at 5 years, in this subset of patients.

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Excision of liver metastases in gastric cancer. Preliminary experienceIntroduction: The benefits of liver metastasis excision in gastric cancer are not clearly demonstrated. Aim: To communicate preliminary experience concerning excision of hepatic metastasis and simultaneously performing gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer. Material and Methods: In a prospective study, 3 of 397 patients treated for gastric cancer that met certain criteria, underwent hepatic metastasis excision. Results: Three patients with gastric cancer and liver metastases. A 58 years old male in whom one liver metastasis was excised and two were treated with radiofrequency ablation, who is alive after 40 months of follow up. A 26 years old female subjected to the excision of one liver metastasis. Eight months later, the lesion relapsed and a right hepatectomy was carried out. The patient died after 19 months of follow up. A 56 years old female subjected to the excision of one liver metastasis, who died 9 months later.