Background. Although Billroth II (BII) reconstruction is simpler and faster than Billroth I or Roux-en-Y (RY) reconstruction in patients undergoing totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG), BII reconstruction is associated with several complications, including more severe bile reflux. BII Braun anastomosis may be a better alternative to RY reconstruction. Methods. This retrospective study included 56 consecutive patients who underwent TLDG for gastric cancer, followed by BII Braun or RY reconstruction, between January 2013 and December 2015. Surgical outcomes, including length of operation, quantity of blood lost, and postoperative complications, were compared in the two groups. Results. Clinicopathological characteristics did not differ between the BII Braun and RY groups. Mean length of operation was significantly longer in the RY than the BII Braun group (157.3 min versus 134.6 min, p < 0.010), but length of hospital stay, blood loss, and complication rate did not differ between the two groups. Ileus occurred in three patients (10.0%) in the RY group. Endoscopic findings 6 months after surgery showed bile reflux in seven (28%) patients in the BII Braun group and five (17.2%) in the RY group (p = 0.343), but no significant differences in rate of gastric residue or degree of gastritis in the remnant stomach in the two groups. Conclusions. B-II Braun anastomosis is a good alternative to RY reconstruction, reducing length of operation and ileus after TLDG.

MOBS is a safe and feasible method that is a good option for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy after laparoscopic gastrectomy.

PurposeIdentification of the infrapyloric artery (IPA) type is a key component of pylorus-preserving gastrectomy. As the indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence technique is known to help visualize blood vessels and flow during reconstruction, we speculated that this emerging technique would be helpful in identifying the IPA type.Materials and MethodsFrom August 2015 to February 2016, 20 patients who underwent robotic or laparoscopic gastrectomy were prospectively enrolled. After intravenous injection of approximately 3 mL of ICG (2.5 mg/mL), a near-infrared fluorescence apparatus was applied. The identified shape of the IPA was confirmed by examining the actual anatomy following infrapyloric dissection.ResultsThe mean interval time between ICG injection and visualization of the artery was 22.2 seconds (range, 14–30 seconds), and the mean duration of the arterial phase was 16.1 seconds (range, 9–30 seconds). The overall positive predictive value (PPV) of ICG fluorescence in identifying the IPA type was 80% (16/20). The IPA type was incorrectly predicted in four patients, all of whom were obese with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25 kg/m2.ConclusionsOur preliminary results indicate that intraoperative vascular imaging using the ICG fluorescence technique may be helpful for robotic or laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy.

Purpose: It is hypothesized that robotic gastrectomy may surpass laparoscopic gastrectomy after the operators acquire long-term experience and skills in the manipulation of robotic arms. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term learning curve of robotic distal gastrectomy (RDG) for gastric cancer compared with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG). Materials and Methods: From October 2008 to December 2015, patients who underwent LDG (n=809) were matched to patients who underwent RDG (n=232) at a 1:1 ratio, by using a propensity score matching method after stratification for the operative year. The surgical outcomes, such as trends of operative time, blood loss, and complication rate, were compared between the two groups. Results: The RDG group showed a longer operative time (171.3 minutes vs. 147.6 minutes, P<0.001) but less estimated blood loss (77.6 ml vs. 116.6 ml, P<0.001). The complication rate and postoperative recovery did not differ between the two groups. The RDG group showed a longer operative time and similar estimated blood loss compared with the LDG group after 5 years of experience (operative time: 159.2 minutes vs. 136.0 minutes in 2015, P=0.003; estimated blood loss: 72.9 ml vs. 78.1 ml in 2015, P=0.793). Conclusions: In terms of short-term surgical outcomes, RDG may not surpass LDG after a long-term experience with the technique.

PurposeObesity is associated with morbidity following gastric cancer surgery, but whether obesity influences morbidity after laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) remains controversial. The present study evaluated whether body mass index (BMI) and visceral fat area (VFA) predict postoperative complications.Materials and MethodsA total of 217 consecutive patients who had undergone LG for gastric cancer between May 2003 and December 2005 were included in the present study. We divided the patients into two groups ('before learning curve' and 'after learning curve') based on the learning curve effect of the surgeon. Each of these groups was sub-classified according to BMI (<25 kg/m2 and ≥25 kg/m2) and VFA (<100 cm2 and ≥100 cm2). Surgical outcomes, including operative time, quantity of blood loss, and postoperative complications, were compared between BMI and VFA subgroups.ResultsThe mean operative time, length of hospital stay, and complication rate were significantly higher in the before learning curve group than in the after learning curve group. In the subgroup analysis, complication rate and length of hospital stay did not differ according to BMI or VFA; however, for the before learning curve group, mean operative time and blood loss were significantly higher in the high VFA subgroup than in the low VFA subgroup (P=0.047 and P=0.028, respectively).ConclusionsVFA may be a better predictive marker than BMI for selecting candidates for LG, which may help to get a better surgical outcome for inexperienced surgeons.