Journal List > J Korean Surg Soc > v.79(5) > 1011183

Kim, Park, Chi, and Kim: Postoperative Complications of Laparoscopy-assisted Gastrectomy in Early Gastric Cancer: The Importance of Precise Preoperative Staging

Abstract

Purpose

Although laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) has become a popular treatment option for early gastric cancer, information about postoperative complications is limited in the literature and their risk factors vary among investigators. We analyzed the complications and their risk factors of LAG.

Methods

We performed LAGs in 92 gastric cancer patients from July 2006 to December 2009. LAG indication was gastric cancer preoperatively diagnosed as cT1N0. Clinical and operative data and perioperative complications were retrospectively reviewed. According to the surgical experience, cases were divided into early (1~40) and late (41~92) groups because operative times stabilized after the 40th case.

Results

There were no open conversion or mortality cases. Complications occurred in 11 patients. Two of them were non-surgical complications: postoperative delirium and cerebral infarction. Surgical complications were ischemic necrosis of transverse colon, duodenal stump leakage, anastomotic bleeding, leakage and stenosis. Univariate analysis proved that lymph node metastasis, and comorbidities were related to complication rate (P=0.000, P=0.032). Multivariate analysis proved that lymph node metastasis was the most important risk factor of complication (P=0.001). Surgical experience was not related to complication rate (12.5% in early period and 11.5% in late period, P=1.000).

Conclusion

Complication rate of LAG was acceptable (11.9%). According to this study, unexpected lymph node metastasis is thought to be the most important risk factor for complications of LAG. Therefore, it is possible to accomplish lower complication rates in this procedure with careful patient selection through accurate preoperative evaluation.

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Operative time according to the number of cases experienced.
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Table 1
Clinicopathological characteristics and surgical outcome (n=92)
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*BMI = body mass index; LADG = laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy; LATG = laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy; Plus-minus values are standard deviation.

Table 2
Summary of complication cases (n=11)
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*DT = delirium tremens.

Table 3
Univariate analysis of risk factors for postoperative complications of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy
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*BMI = body mass index; LN = lymph node; REY = Rouxen-Y esophagojejunostomy; §EMR = endoscopic mucosal resection.

Table 4
Multivariate analysis of risk factors for postoperative complications of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy
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*CI = confidence interval; OR = odds ratio; BMI = body mass index; §LN = lymph node.

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