RESUMO
AIM: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of No. 13 lymphadenectomy in radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma. METHODS: Medical records of the patients undergone No. 13 lymph node dissection during D2 gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma, were reviewed from March 2003 to May 2007. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-eight patients underwent No. 13 lymph node dissection for D2 gastric carcinoma, of them, 4 (2.53%) were found to have metastasis in No. 13 lymph node. Metastasis to No. 12 lymph node was detected in 6 patients and 4 of them had positive No. 13 lymph node. The operative morbidity except for wound infection was 15.19% (24/158), and hospital death rate was 1.27% (2/158). No obstructive jaundice caused by No 13 lymph node metastasis after No. 13 lymph node dissection in radical gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma was detected during the follow-up study to end of January 2007. CONCLUSION: Dissection of No. 13 lymph node in D2 gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma is safe with a low morbidity and mortality rate. Further study is needed to explore its long-term effect.