Anastomosis site stricture is a common complication after a total gastrectomy. End-to-end anastomosis (EEA) stapler devices are preferred to a hand-sewn esophagojejunostomy these days. However, stapling devices have been reported not to reduce the incidence of esophagojejunostomy site stricture considerably.

From Sep. 1998 to Dec. 2000, at Korea Gastic Cancer Center, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University, we experienced 228 total gastrectomies in which EEA stapling devices had been used. We investigated the correlation of the stricture with the size of the EEA stapling device, the type of esophagojejunal reconstruction, reflux esophagitis, and duration of stricture development.

Among the 228 cases, as far as the patient's age was concerned, the 7th decade was the most common 64 cases, followed by the 5th decades. The Male-to-female ratio was 2.3 : 1. A loop esophagojejunostomy was used in 223 cases, and the Roux-en-Y method was used in 5 cases. The 32 patients with anastomosis site stricture were patients with loop esophagojejunal anastomosis. Anastomosis site stricture occurred in 14% (32/228) of the total gastrectomy cases, in15.9% (11/69) of the total gastrectomies involving stapler devices with a 25-mm diameter, and in 13.2% (21/159) of the total gastrectomies involving staper devices with a 28-mm diameter. There was no correlation between the incidence of stricture and EEA- stapling device size (P>0.05). Reflux esophagitis occurred in 56 of the 228 cases, with 7 of those 56 cases (12.5%) and 25 of the remaining 172 cases (14.5%) having strictures. There was no considerable difference in the stricture incidence rate according to the presence of reflux esophagitis (P>0.05). The onset of stricture development, occurred within 6 months in 16 cases, including 4 cases of reflux esophagitis, between 7 and 18 months in 14 cases, including 3 cases of reflux eshophagitis, and after 19 months in 2 cases.

An esophagojejunostomy site stricture after a total gastrectomy was not correlated with the esophagojejunal reconstruction type, the size of the stapling device, or the presence of reflux esophagitis. General anastomosis technical factors (e.g., adequate blood supply, tension-free manner, adequate hemostasis) may be more important to prevent anastomosis site stricture after an esophagojejunostomy during a total gastrectomy.