Functional gastrointestinal reconstruction strategies after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

The incidence of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction is gradually increa-sing. The metastasis of the distal lymph node of upper gastric cancer with tumor diameter <4 cm is rare, and proximal gastrectomy can meet the requirements of radical treatment. Reflux esophagitis, food stasis, anastomotic stenosis, and poor nutrient absorption are important factors affecting the quality of life of patients undergoing proximal gastrectomy. With the continuous promotion of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy, laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with lymph node dissection has been standardized. However, the method of digestive tract reconstruction has not yet reached standardization consensus, and anti-reflux has become a hot spot in clinical attention in recent years. Through interpositioned jejunum reconstruction to achieve anti-reflux effect, or retaining or rebuilding the anti-flow structure of esophageal residual gastric anastomosis include a variety of additional anti-reflux surgery, which have their own different advantages and disadvan-tages. The authors introduce in detail a variety of mainstream anti-reflux surgery, and its modified program, with the aim of providing reference for colleagues and maximizing the benefits of patients.

Analysis of early hemorrhage from pancreaticojejunal anastomosis after pancreaticoduodenectomy / 国际外科学杂志

Objective:To explore the therapeutic experience of early postoperative hemorrhage (EPOH) from pancreaticojejunal anastomosis after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).Methods:A retrospective review was conducted to summarize the clinical data of a typical case of EPOH from pancreaticojejunal anastomosis after PD in Binzhou Second People′s Hospital, and the main causes and treatment of EPOH were analyzed.Results:Due to reasons such as the slender pancreatic duct, the pancreatic duct was not found after twice transections of the pancreas during the surgery. To prevent poor pancreatic fluid drainage and related complications, the pancreatic stump was not effectively sutured, and a vertical mattress suture method was used for the pancreaticojejunal anastomosis. The patient developed severe EPOH on the surgery day. Due to the fact that the digestive tract reconstruction was a biliary pancreatic separation method, the cause of EPOH was diagnosed from pancreaticojejunal anastomosis through imaging and endoscopy. After active medical treatment, the patient recovered and was discharged.Conclusion:For the treatment of pancreatic stump after PD, precise suturing should be performed on the stump while ensuring smooth pancreatic duct drainage, in order to avoid EPOH from pancreaticojejunal anastomosis to the greatest extent possible.

Historical evolution of pancreatic fistula definition and current grading limitations and potential improvements / 国际外科学杂志

Pancreatic fistula is one of the most important complications after pancreatic surgery. The International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula proposed the definition and classification of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) in 2005 firstly, which has promoted the development of pancreatic surgery research. And the International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery modified the POPF standard in 2016 and paid more attention to clinical relevance. The POPF is often used to evaluate anastomotic methods. However, this grading version is based on clinical outcomes, which more represents the comprehensive treatment effect than reflects the quality of pancreaticojejunostomy. Using the current POPF grading criteria for the purpose of improving anastomosis methods is not very accurate, so an indicator that only reflects anastomosis′ quality is needed for the comparison of various surgical methods. To avoid the influence of non-reconstruction elements on the incidence and degree of POPF, this research team prefer the total drainage fluid amylase(DFA)or the duration of high DFA. And in this way, the comparation among different anastomotic operations could be specific and objective, which further helps to find out an ideal method for pancreatic digestive tract reconstruction.

Magnetic compression anastomosis for esophagoenterostomy after total gastrectomy in rats / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 Digestive tract reconstruction after total gastrectomy is complicated and causes many complications. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of magnetic compression anastomosis (MCA) for sutureless reconstruction after total gastrectomy in rats. 【Methods】 Twenty-four rats were randomly apportioned to two groups. Reconstruction was performed with MCA in the experimental group or hand-sewn in the control group, and the construction time was recorded. The animals were followed up for 30 days. The survival rate and complications were monitored. At each time point, the rats were euthanized to study the gross/histological morphology and mechanical strength of the anastomoses. 【Results】 The reconstruction time was (12.9±2.7)min in the experimental group and (23.8±4.1)min in the control group (P=0.036). In the experimental group, there was no anastomotic complication. Four control rats developed anastomotic leakage or hemorrhage, and all died within 4 postoperative days. Compared with the control group, burst pressure in the experimental group was similar. Both groups’ anastomoses had smooth gross appearance and histologically good alignment of tissue layers. 【Conclusion】 MCA is a safe and effective choice for reconstruction after total gastrectomy, with better postoperative outcomes than hand-sewn.

Comparison of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography assisted with colonoscope and enteroscope in patients with history of Roux-en-Y anastomosis (with video) / 中华消化内镜杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) assisted with colonoscope and enteroscope in patients with history of Roux-en-Y anastomosis.Methods:A retrospective study was performed on the data of 70 patients who underwent ERCP assisted with standard colonoscope or single balloon enteroscope after Roux-en-Y reconstruction in Hangzhou Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from January 2017 to December 2020. Patients were divided into the standard colonoscopy group ( n=43) and the single balloon enteroscopy group ( n=27) according to endoscopy. The success rates of insertion, intubation and ERCP, and incidence of complications were compared. Results:A total of 81 ERCP procedures were performed in 70 patients. The insertion success rates of the standard colonoscopy group and the single balloon enteroscopy group were 91.8% (45/49) and 78.1% (25/32), respectively, showing no significant difference ( χ2=2.04, P=0.153). The success rates of primitive papilla intubation in the two groups were 74.1% (20/27) and 1/6, showing significant difference ( P=0.016). The ERCP success rates of the standard colonoscopy group and the single balloon enteroscopy group were 75.5% (37/49) and 59.4% (19/32), showing no significant difference ( χ2=2.36, P=0.124). The post operative complication incidences of the standard colonoscopy group and the single balloon enteroscopy group were 4.1% (2/49) and 9.4% (3/32), showing no significant difference ( χ2=0.25, P=0.620). Conclusion:ERCP assisted with standard colonoscope and single balloon enteroscope is safe and effective in patients after Roux-en-Y anastomosis. Standard colonoscopic ERCP can become an endoscopy solution for patients with biliary tract disease after Roux-en-Y reconstruction.

Comparison of the effects of different digestive tract reconstruction methods in laparoscopic assisted radical gastrectomy for distal gastric cancer / 中国综合临床

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis, Roux-en-Y anastomosis and Billroth Ⅱ plus Braun anastomosis in laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy for distal gastric cancer.Methods:In the retrospective cohort study, 71 cases of laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy for distal gastric cancer from May 2016 to October 2019 in Tangshan Union Medical College Hospital were selected as the study subject. According to the different reconstruction methods of digestive tract, they were divided into: non disconnected Roux-en-Y anastomosis group (Uncut RY group, 29 cases); Roux-en-Y anastomosis group (RY group, 24 cases); Billroth Ⅱ-braun anastomosis group (B Ⅱ-Braun group, 18 cases). The operation time, digestive tract reconstruction time, intraoperative blood loss, the time to flatus, length of hospital stay, incidence of complication and the changes of nutritional index 1 year after surgery were observed. SPSS 18.0 software was used process the data, the measurement data conforming to normal distribution by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was expressed by xˉ± s deviation, the measurement data dose not meet the normal distribution was expressed by the median (interquartile range) ( M( Q1, Q3)).Analysis of variance was used to compare the measurement data of normal distribution; Nonparametric rank sum test was used for the comparison between measurement data groups with non normal distribution; Count data were expressed in cases (%), and χ 2 test or Fisher exact probability method was used for composition comparison between groups. Results:In Uncut group, RY group and B Ⅱ-Braun group, the operation time were (196.0±28.8) min, (201.0±28.5) min and (186.4±26.1) min, respectively, the digestive tract reconstruction time were (56.2±13.9) min, (57.8±12.9) min and (51.5±10.0) min, respectively,the intraoperative blood loss were (285.2±85.4) mL, (280.1±78.4) mL and (273.3±79.6) mL, respectively, the time to flatus were (52.5±14.4) h,(53.9±14.6) h and (46.2±9.4) h, respectively, the length of hospital stay were (12.6±2.8) d, (12.1±3.0) d and (12.8±2.6) d, respectively, there were no significant differences among the three groups ( F values were 1.41, 1.33, 0.12, 1.89 and 0.35, respectively; P values were 0.251, 0.271, 0.890, 0.158 and 0.709, respectively). Postoperative complications in Uncut group, RY group and BⅡ-Braun group: The number of cases of anastomotic leakage was 0, 1 and 1, respectively. The number of cases of abdominal bleeding was 1, 1 and 0, respectively. The number of cases of bile reflux gastritis was 2, 1 and 5, respectively, and the number of cases of anastomotic ulcer was 0, 0 and 1, respectively. There were no significant differences among the three groups (Fisher's exact test, P values were 0.510,1.000, 0.063 and 0.254, respectively). The number of cases of Roux-en-Y retention syndrome was 0, 6 and 0, respectively. There were significant differences among the three groups (Fisher's exact test, P=0.001). Nutritional index: the weight loss were 4.00 (2.00, 5.50) kg, 3.00 (1.25,4.75) kg and 3.00 (1.75,4.25) kg respectively, decreases of hemoglobin level were (5.62±8.20) g/L, (6.63±6.84) g/L and(5.33±7.79) g/L, respectively, decreases of albumin level were 1.00 (-2.50, 7.00) g/L, 3.00 (-1.25, 6.75) g/L and 6.00 (-3.25,7.50) g/L, respectively. There were no significant differences among the three groups (Statistic value were χ 2=1.42, F=0.18 and χ 2=2.43, respectively, P values were 0.492,0.839 and 0.297, respectively). Conclusion:As a digestive tract reconstruction method for radical resection of distal gastric cancer, uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis can reduce the incidence of Roux-en-Y retention syndrome without increasing the operation risk and affecting the postoperative nutritional status. It is a safe and feasible gastrointestinal tract reconstruction method.

Current Status and Exploration of Digestive Tract Reconstruction After Totally Laparoscopic Radical Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer / 肿瘤防治研究

Digestive tract reconstruction is one of the key operations of gastric cancer surgery. Its quality directly affects the occurrence of postoperative complications and long-term nutritional status and quality of life. Reasonable selection of digestive tract reconstruction in totally laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer can significantly reduce postoperative complications and improve postoperative nutritional status and quality of life. This paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of digestive tract anastomosis used in total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy and total gastrectomy, explores the best possible anastomosis at present, describes the progress of anastomosis in complete laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy, and introduces the progress of physiology and biomechanical reconstruction theory.

History and Current Situation of Digestive Tract Reconstruction After Laparoscopic Proximal Radical Gastrectomy / 肿瘤防治研究

The incidence of proximal gastric cancer worldwide is increasing year by year, and radical gastrectomy is still the main treatment. Partial function preserving in laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy has been continuously concerned in recent years, with the development of laparoscopic minimally invasive technology. However, the choice of digestive tract reconstruction is still controversial, due to the specificity of tumor location. This article reviews the current digestive tract reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy, and provides some references for clinicians to choose the digestive tract reconstruction methods rationally.

Safety and feasibility of overlapped delta-shaped anastomosis technique for digestive tract reconstruction during complete laparoscopic right hemicolectomy / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To explore the clinical safety and feasibility of overlapped delta-shaped anastomosis (ODA) in totally laparoscopic right hemicolectomy (TLRHC). Methods: From May 2017 to October 2019, of the 219 patients who underwent TLRHC at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, 104 cases underwent ODA (ODA group) and 115 cases underwent conventional extracorporeal anastomosis (control group) were compared the surgical outcomes, postoperative recovery, pathological outcomes and perioperative complications. Results: The length of the skin incision in the ODA group was significantly shorter than that in the control group [(5.6±0.9) cm vs. (7.1±1.7) cm, P<0.05], and the time to first flatus and first defecation after surgery in the ODA group was significantly earlier than that in the control group [(1.7±0.7) days vs. (2.0±0.7) days; (3.2±0.6) days vs. (3.3±0.7) days, P<0.05]. While the anastomosis time, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, the time of first ground activities, the number of bowel movements within 12 days after surgery, postoperative hospital stay, tumor size, the distal and proximal margins, the number of lymph node harvested and postoperative TNM stage in the ODA group did not differ from that of the control group (P>0.05). The postoperative complication rates of patients in the ODA group and the control group were 3.8% (4/104) and 4.3% (5/115), respectively, and the difference was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: The application of ODA technology in TLRHC can significantly shorten thelength of skin incisionand the recovery time of bowel function, and can obtain satisfactory short-term efficacy.

Efficacy of laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction versus laparoscopic total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction for early upper gastric cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To compare clinical efficacy between laparoscopic radical proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction (LPG-DTR) and laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction (LTG-RY) in patients with early upper gastric cancer, and to provide a reference for the selection of surgical methods in early upper gastric cancer. Methods: A retrospective cohort study method was carried out. Clinical data of 80 patients with early upper gastric cancer who underwent LPG-DTR or LTG-RY by the same surgical team at the Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January 2018 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the DTR group (32 cases) and R-Y group (48 cases) according to surgical procedures and digestive tract reconstruction methods. Surgical and pathological characteristics, postoperative complications (short-term complications within 30 days after surgery and long-term complications after postoperative 30 days), survival time and nutritinal status were compared between the two groups. For nutritional status, reduction rate was used to represent the changes in total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, body mass, hemoglobin and vitamin B12 levels at postoperative 1-year and 2-year. Non-normally distributed continuous data were presented as median (interquartile range), and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between groups. The χ(2) test or Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of data between groups. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the ranked data between groups. The survival rate was calculated by Kaplan-Meier method categorical, and compared by using the log-rank test. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data betweeen the two groups, except that patients in the R-Y group were oldere and had larger tumor. Patients of both groups successfully completed the operation without conversion to laparotomy, combined organ resection, or perioperative death. There were no significant differences in the distance from proximal resection margin to superior margin of tumor, postoperative hospital stay, time to flatus and food-taking, hospitalization cost, short- and long-term complications between the two groups (all P>0.05). Compared with the R-Y group, the DTR group had shorter distal margins [(3.2±0.5) cm vs. (11.7±2.0) cm, t=-23.033, P<0.001], longer surgery time [232.5 (63.7) minutes vs. 185.0 (63.0) minutes, Z=-3.238, P=0.001], longer anastomosis time [62.5 (17.5) minutes vs. 40.0 (10.0) minutes, Z=-6.321, P<0.001], less intraoperative blood loss [(138.1±51.6) ml vs. (184.3±62.1) ml, t=-3.477, P=0.001], with significant differences (all P<0.05). The median follow-up of the whole group was 18 months, and the 2-year cancer-specific survival rate was 97.5%, with 100% in the DTR group and 95.8% in the R-Y group (P=0.373). Compared with R-Y group at postoperative 1 year, the reduction rate of weight, hemoglobin and vitamin B12 were lower in DTR group with significant differences (all P<0.05); at postoperative 2-year, the reduction rate of vitamin B12 was still lower with significant differences (P<0.001), but the reduction rates of total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, body weight and hemoglobin were similar between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusions: LPG-DTR is safe and feasible in the treatment of early upper gastric cancer. The short-term postoperative nutritional status and long-term vitamin B12 levels of patients undergoing LPG-DTR are superior to those undergoing LTG-RY.

Choice of digestive tract reconstruction in upper gastric cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

With the increasing incidence of upper gastric cancer and early gastric cancer, surgeons have gradually paid attention to the selection of appropriate digestive tract reconstruction methods. At present, the safety of surgery is no longer the main aim pursued by surgeons, and the focus of surgery has gradually changed to postoperative quality of life. Surgical procedures for upper gastric cancer include total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG). Roux-en-Y anastomosis is recommended for digestive tract reconstruction after TG. The classic method of digestive tract reconstruction after PG is distal residual stomach and esophageal anastomosis. However, to prevent esophageal reflux caused by PG, a lot of explorations have been carried out over the years, including tubular gastroesophageal anastomosis, double-flap technique (Kamikawa anastomosis), interposition jejunum, double-tract reconstruction and so on. But the appropriate method of digestive tract reconstruction for upper gastric cancer is still controversial. In this paper, based on literatures and our clinical experience, the selection, surgical difficulties and techniques of digestive tract reconstruction after PG are discussed.

Technical difficulties and countermeasures of digestive tract reconstruction in robotic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer / 中华胃肠外科杂志

There still remain some problemsin digestive tract reconstruction after robotic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer at present, such as great surgical difficulties and high technical requirements. Based on the surgical experience of the Gastric Surgery Department of Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University and the literatures at home and abroad, relevant issues are discussed in terms of robotic radical distal gastrectomy (Billroth I, Billroth II, and Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy), proximal gastrectomy (double-channel and double-muscle flap anastomosis), and total gastrectomy (Roux-en-Y anastomosis, functional end-to-end anastomosis, FEEA, π-anastomosis, Overlap anastomosis, and modified Overlap anastomosis with delayed amputation of jejunum, i.e. later-cut Overlap). This article mainly includes (1) The principles of digestive tract reconstruction after robotic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. (2) Digestive tract reconstruction after robotic radical distal gastrectomy: Aiming at the weakness of traditional triangular anastomosis, we introduce the improvement of the technical difficulty, namely "modified triangular anastomosis", and point out that because Billroth II anastomosis is a common anastomosis method in China at present, manual suture under robot is more convenient and safe, and can effectively avoid anastomotic stenosis. (3) Digestive tract reconstruction after robotic proximal gastrectomy: It mainly includes double channel anastomosis and double muscle flap anastomosis, but these reconstruction methods are relatively complicated, and robotic surgery has not been widely carried out at present. (4) Digestive tract reconstruction after robotic total gastrectomy: The most classic one is Roux-en-Y anastomosis, mainly using circular stapler for end-to-side esophagojejunal anastomosis and linear stapler for side-to-side esophagojejunal anastomosis, for which we discuss the solutions to the existing technical difficulties. With the continuous innovation of robotic surgical system and anastomosis instruments, and with the gradual improvement of anastomosis technology, it is believed that digestive tract reconstruction after robotic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer will have a good application prospect in gastric cancer surgery.

Experience and thoughts on digestive tract reconstruction after radical resection of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction / 中华胃肠外科杂志

In the surgical treatment of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG), the scope of lymph node dissection, surgical approach selection, extent of tumor resection and digestive tract reconstruction have always been controversial, with the digestive tract reconstruction in AEG facing many challenges especially. The digestive tract reconstruction is related to the extent of resection. At present, the digestive tract reconstruction after total gastrectomy includes Roux-en-Y anastomosis, jejunum interposition and its derivatives. According to different reconstruction methods, they can be divided into tube anastomosis, linear anastomosis and manual anastomosis. Anti-reflux digestive tract reconstruction after proximal gastrectomy mainly includes esophagogastric anastomosis, interposition jejunum and double channel anastomosis. At present, double channel anastomosis is the most common reconstruction method in China. Based on the concept of interposition tubular stomach and reconstruction of gastric angle for anti-reflux, we propose "Giraffe" anastomosis, which moves artificial fundus and His angle downward to retain more residual stomach, showing good gastric emptying and anti-reflux effect. In this paper, combined with our clinical experience and understanding, we discuss the selection and technical key points of digestive tract reconstruction methods in AEG, and suggest that composite anti-reflux mechanism design may be the development trend of anti-reflux reconstruction in the future. The composite mechanism includes the retention of gastric electrical pacemaker in greater curvature of the middle part of gastric body to increase the emptying capacity of residual stomach, the reconstruction of gastric fundus and His angle anti-reflux barrier, and the establishment of an interposition tubular stomach acting as a buffer zone in Giraffe construction, and so on.

How to master the clinical study on digestive tract reconstruction in gastric cancer surgery / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Digestive tract reconstruction is extremely important during gastric cancer surgery, which is related to long-tern quality of life of patients. The selection of reconstruction methods and the application of reconstruction techniques are major topics in the field of reconstruction-related study of gastric cancer surgery. The clinical research on digestive tract reconstruction needs to be designed and implemented scientifically to comprehensively evaluate the impact of reconstruction methods on surgical safety, long-term survival outcomes, short- and long-term changes in quality of life, endoscopic mucosal changes and postoperative nutritional status. In addition, health economic analysis is also important and should be considered in reconstruction-related studies. In brief, selection of appropriate gastrointestinal reconstruction methods based on individual characteristics of each gastric cancer patients may be an important direction of clinical trials in the future.

Anti-reflux gastrointestinal reconstruction techniques after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Laparoscopic techniques are more and more poplular in proximal gastrectomy. The traditional esophagogastric anastomosis may lead to severe reflux esophagitis after surgery, affecting patient's quality of life. In recent years, multiple methods of digestive tract reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy capable of resisting reflux have been applied to the clinic. Combining the results of the latest clinical studies and our clinical experience, we elaborate the views on digestive tract reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy. Esophagogastric anastomosis (posterior esophagogastric anastomosis, anterior esophagogastric anastomosis, gastric tube reconstruction, lateral esophagogastric anastomosis, Kamikawa anastomosis and modified Kamikawa anastomosis, etc.) and esophagojejunal anastomosis (interposition jejunum, interposition jejunum with pouch, and double-channel anastomosis, etc.) are mainly discussed. Of course, the anti-reflux mechanisms of different surgical procedures are not the same, the anti-reflux effects are variable, and the surgical difficulties under laparoscopy are also different. Therefore, how to choose a rational reconstruction method after proximal gastrectomy needs to be comprehensively considered based on patient's own situation and technical level of the surgeons.

Digestive tract reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy for adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction / 中华胃肠外科杂志

The incidence of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG) is increasing in recent years. Its diagnosis, lymph node metastasis and digestive tract reconstruction are all different from those of upper gastric cancer. With the development of the concept of function preserving surgery for gastric cancer, the clinical application of laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy in AEG is increasing. In this kind of operation, in addition to ensuring sufficient radical cure of tumor, the short-term smooth recovery and long-term quality of life of patients are also important. The reconstruction of digestive tract after proximal stomach operation is of great significance. According to the author's own practical experience, in clinical work, the author selects different surgical resection scope and digestive tract reconstruction methods according to Siewert classification of AEG. For Siewert Ⅱ AEG, laparoscopic PG is mostly used, and laparoscopic esophageal tubular gastric side-to-side anastomosis or double channel anastomosis is mostly used for digestive tract reconstruction. It is believed that with the emergence of long-term follow-up results and the development of multicenter randomized controlled research, some controversial questions will be better answered. We should pay attention to the individual differences of patients. For different individuals, combined with the operator's experience, on the basis of ensuring the radical cure of tumor, we should adopt appropriate surgical resection scope and digestive tract reconstruction, so as to bring better long-term quality of life for patients.

Application of modified Kamikawa anastomosis in digestive tract reconstruction after proximal gastrectomy / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: Traditional Kamikawa anastomosis in digestive tract reconstruction after proximal gastrectomy can greatly decrease the anastomosis-related complications and reduce the incidence of reflux esophagitis, but its complexity limits the wide application. To decrease the complexity of Kamikawa anastomosis, the surgical team of Changzhi People's Hospital of Shanxi Changzhi Medical College improved this technique by using novel notion and reduced surgical procedures. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of modified Kamikawa anastomosis in digestive tract reconstruction after proximal gastrectomy. Methods: A descriptive cohort study was carried out. Case enrollment criteria: (1) upper gastric carcinoma or esophagogastric junction carcinoma without distant metastasis was confirmed by preoperative gastroscopic biopsy and imaging examination; (2) tumor diameter was less than 4 cm; (3) preoperative clinical staging was cT1-3N1M0. Exclusion criteria: (1) patients received preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy; (2) patients had severe heart or lung disease, or poor nutritional status so that they could not tolerate surgery. Clinical data of 25 patients with upper gastric carcinoma or esophagogastric junction carcinoma who underwent modified Kamikawa anastomosis in digestive tract reconstruction in Heji Hospital (8 cases) and Changzhi People's Hospital (17 cases) from April 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively collected. Of 25 patients, 21 were male and 4 were female, with mean age of 63.0 (49 to 78) years; 3 underwent open surgery and 22 underwent laparoscopic surgery. The modified Kamikawa anastomosis was as follows: (1) the novel notion of total mesangial resection of the esophagogastric junction was applied to facilitate the thorough removal of lymph nodes and facilitate hand-sewn anastomosis and embedding; (2) the diameter of the anastomotic stoma was selected according to the diameter of the esophageal stump, between 2.5 and 3.5 cm, to reduce the occurrence of anastomotic stenosis; (3) an ultrasonic scalpel was used to incise the esophageal stump, which could not only prevent bleeding of the esophageal stump, but also closely seal the esophageal mucosa, muscle layer and serosa to prevent esophageal mucosa retraction; (4) barbed suture was used to suture the remnant stomach fundus and esophagus to fix the stomach fundus in order to reduce the cumbersome and difficult intermittent sutures in a small space; (5) two barbed sutures were used to continuously suture the front and back walls of the anastomosis and complete the suture and fixation of the muscle flap. Relevant indicators of surgical safety, postoperative complications (using the Clavien-Dindo classification), esophageal reflux symptoms and the occurrence of esophagitis (using Los Angeles classification) were analyzed. The gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) score, gastroscopy, multi-position digestive tract radiography during postoperative follow-up were used to evaluate the residual gastric motility and anti-reflux efficacy. Results: Modified Kamikawa anastomosis in digestive tract reconstruction after proximal gastrectomy was successfully performed in 25 patients. The surgical time was (5.8±1.8) hours, the intraoperative blood loss was (89.2±11.8) ml, and the average hospital stay was (13.8±2.9) days. Three cases (12.0%) developed postoperative anastomotic stenosis as Clavien-Dindo grade III and were healed after endoscopic dilation treatment. Postoperative upper gastrointestinal radiography showed 1 case (4.0%) with reflux symptoms as Clavien-Dindo grade I. Gastroscopy showed no signs of reflux esophagitis, and its Los Angeles classification was A grade. No anastomotic bleeding, local infection and death were found in all the patients. At postoperative 6-month of follow-up, GERD score showed no significant difference compared to pre-operation (2.7±0.6 vs. 2.4±1.0, t=-1.495, P=0.148). Conclusion: Modified Kamikawa anastomosis in digestive tract reconstruction after proximal gastrectomy is safe and feasible with good anti-reflux efficacy.

Analysis of short-term efficacy of overlapping delta-shaped anastomosis in totally laparoscopic left hemicolectomy for digestive tract reconstruction / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: At present, though the laparoscopic delta-shaped anastomosis and overlapping delta-shaped anastomosis have been gradually applied to complete laparoscopic radical resection of left hemicolon cancer, the comparative evaluation of their efficacy has not been mentioned in the published literatures. This study aims to explore the safety, feasibility and short-term efficacy of overlapping delta-shaped anastomosis (ODA) in totally laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed. The clinical and pathological data of patients who underwent totally laparoscopic left hemicolectomy at Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College from May 2017 to October 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The case inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) age of 18-75 years; (2) body mass index (BMI) of 18.5-30 kg/m(2); (3) descending colonic and proximal sigmoid colonic adenocarcinoma was confirmed by preoperative colonoscopy and pathology. The exclusion criteria: (1) multiple primary colorectal cancers; (2) uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, immune system diseases, or hematological diseases; (3) severe intestinal obstruction; (4) left transverse colonic or splenic flexure colonic adenocarcinoma; (5) distant metastasis of liver, lung and other viscera determined by enhanced computed tomography in the chest, abdomen and pelvis. According to the above criteria, a total of 115 patients with left hemicolon cancer were enrolled. All the patients underwent totally laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. Patients who underwent laparoscopic traditional delta-shaped anastomosis were selected as the control group. Patients who underwent laparoscopic ODA were selected as the ODA group. Effects of these two laparoscopic reconstruction methods on postoperative recovery and perioperative complications were analyzed and compared. Results: A total of 60 patients were enrolled in the ODA group, including 32 males and 28 females, with mean age of (57.3±10.4) years and body mass index (BMI) of (25.0±3.1) kg/m(2). While mean 55 patients were enrolled in the control group, including 31 males and 24 females, with mean age of (56.7±9.9) years and BMI of (24.4±2.9) kg/m(2). There was no statistically significant differences between the two groups in gender, age, BMI, American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) classification, TNM staging, preoperative abdominal surgery history, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and nutritional status (levels of hemoglobin, lymphocyte count, prealbumin, and albumin) (all P>0.05). All the patients in both groups received R0 resection without conversion to open laparotomy or conversion to extra-abdominal anastomosis. The digestive tract reconstruction time of the ODA group was significantly shorter than that of the control group [(15.1±1.7) minutes vs. (15.9±2.4) minutes, t=-2.053, P=0.042]. There were no statistically significant differences in the total operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of skin incision, tumor size, proximal and distal margins, harvested lymph nodes, postoperative first ambulatory time, and postoperative hospital stay (all P>0.05). However, the time to the first flatus and the first defecation in the ODA group was significantly shorter as compared to control group [(1.5±0.5) days vs. (1.7±0.5) days, t=-2.028, P=0.045; (3.1±0.6) days vs. (3.4±0.7) days, t=-2.095, P=0.039], indicating faster intestinal function recovery in patients with ODA. The morbidity of postoperative complication was 6.7% (4/60) in the ODA group and 7.3% (4/55) in the control group and no significant difference was found (χ(2)=0.016, P=0.898). Two cases of incision infection, 1 case of lung infection, and 1 case of intra-abdominal infection occurred in the ODA group, while 3 cases of lung infection and 1 case of intra-abdominal infection occurred in the control group. All these complications were resolved after conservative treatment, and no secondary operation was performed due to complications. Conclusion: Compared with the traditional delta-shaped anastomosis, ODA is associated with a faster recovery of postoperative intestinal function without increasing the morbidity of postoperative complications, and has the satisfactory short-term efficacy.

Comparison of efficacy between laparoscopic and open proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction for Siewert type Ⅱ and Ⅲ adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Objective: To compare the efficacy between laparoscopic and open proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction for Siewert type II and III adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG). Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Inclusion criteria: (1) 18 to 80 years old; (2) Siewert II and III AEG was confirmed by preoperative gastroscopy and biopsy, which could not be resected by endoscopy; patients undergoing radical proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction; (3) contrast-enhanced abdominal CT staging was cT1-2N0M0; (4) Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) physical status score <2 points, American Association of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade 1 to 2; (5) patients agreed to perform proximal gastrectomy and signed an informed consent. Those who had undergone neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy, suffered from serious mental diseases and had incomplete data were excluded. According to the above criteria, clinical data of 84 consecutive patients with Siewert II and III AEG undergoing surgery at General Surgery Department of The Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2010 to December 2018 were collected and analyzed. Of 84 patients, 61 underwent open proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction (OPG group), while 23 underwent laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction (LPG group). The perioperative complications and postoperative reflux esophagitis of two groups were compared. A P-value of <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Among 84 cases, 74 were male and 10 were female. There were 43 cases of Siewert type II and 41 cases of Siewert type III. There were no significant differences in age, gender, body mass index, comorbidities, Siewert type, and tumor staging between the two groups (all P>0.05). As compared to the OPG group, the LPG group had longer operation duration [(223±21) minutes vs. (161±14) minutes, t=15.352, P<0.001], less intraoperative blood loss [195 (150, 215) ml vs. 208 (192, 230) ml, Z=2.143, P=0.032], and shorter time to flatus [(2.8±0.7) days vs. (3.3±0.9) days, t=2.477, P=0.015]. There were no significant differences in the number of harvested lymph nodes, time to the first meal and postoperative hospital stay between the two groups (all P>0.05). Postoperative complications developed in 2 cases (8.7%, 1 case each for anastomotic leakage and intestinal obstruction) in the LPG group and 5 cases (8.2%, 1 case each for anastomotic leakage, anastomotic bleeding, and anastomotic stenosis, 2 cases of incision infection) in the OPG group (χ(2)=5.603, P=0.231). The median follow-up was 41.2 (12.8-110.5) months. One patient (1.6%,1/61) had obvious reflux symptoms in the OPG group, compared with none in the LPG group (χ(2)=0.644, P=0.422). Esophagitis occurred in 1 case (4.8%, 1/21) in LPG group, compared with 4 patients (7.1%, 4/56) in the OPG group, without significant difference between the two groups (χ(2)=0.505, P=0.477). Conclusion: Laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction is safe and feasible without increasing the risk of postoperative complication and reflux esophagitis.

A novel classification and strategy choice of digestive tract reconstruction procedures after function-preserving gastrectomy for early gastric caner / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Function-preserving gastrectomy (FPG) can be regarded as a concrete embodiment of precise treatment for early gastric cancer. Digestive tract reconstruction plays an important role in FPG. The aims of reconstruction mainly include the preservation of normal digestive tract and digestive function, the reconstruction of pivotal anatomical structure, and the consequent improvement of postoperative quality of life. We establish a new classification of digestive tract reconstruction based on the different role of digestive tract reconstructions in FPG for early gastric cancer, meanwhile we briefly summarize current progress and elucidate surgical indications. We hope that it can provide theoretical reference for surgeons to choose the appropriate procedure of digestive tract reconstruction after FPG.