In Korea, the number of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomies for early gastric cancer patients has been increasing lately. Although minimally invasive surgery is more beneficial, no reported case of a totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy has been reported because of difficulty with intracorporeal anastomosis. This study attempts, through our experiences, to determine the feasibility of a totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy using an intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy in treating early gastric carcinoma.

We investigated surgical results and clinicopatholgic characteristics of eight(8) patients with an early gastric carcinoma who underwent a totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy at the Department of Surgery, Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, between June 2004 and September 2004. The intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy was performed with a delta-shaped ananstomosis by using only laparoscopic linear staplers (Endocutter 45 mm; Ethicon Endosurgery, OH, USA).

The operative time was 369.4±62.5 minutes (range 275~65 minutes), and the anastomotic time was 45.1±14.4 minutes (range 32~0 minutes). The anastomotic time was shortened as surgical experience was gained. The number of laparoscopic linear staplers for an operation was 7.1±0.6. The number of lymph nodes harvested was 31.9±13.1. There was 1 case of transfusion and no case of conversion to an open procedure. The time to the first flatus was 2.8±0.5 days, and the time to the first food intake was 4.1±0.8 days. There were no early postoperative complications, and the postoperative hospital stay was 10.0±3.9 days.

A totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy using an intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy with a delta-shaped anastomosis is technically feasible and can maximize the benefit of laparoscopic surgery for early gastric cancer.