Epidemiological characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of gallbladder cancer in China: a report of 6 159 cases / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the epidemiological characteristics, diagnosis, treat-ment and prognosis of gallbladder cancer in China from 2010 to 2017.Methods:The single disease retrospective registration cohort study was conducted. Based on the concept of the real world study, the clinicopathological data, from multicenter retrospective clinical data database of gallbladder cancer of Chinese Research Group of Gallbladder Cancer (CRGGC), of 6 159 patients with gallbladder cancer who were admitted to 42 hospitals from January 2010 to December 2017 were collected. Observation indicators: (1) case resources; (2) age and sex distribution; (3) diagnosis; (4) surgical treatment and prognosis; (5) multimodality therapy and prognosis. The follow-up data of the 42 hospitals were collected and analyzed by the CRGGC. The main outcome indicator was the overall survival time from date of operation for surgical patients or date of diagnosis for non-surgical patients to the end of outcome event or the last follow-up. Measurement data with normal distribu-tion were represented as Mean±SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M( Q1, Q3) or M(range), and com-parison between groups was conducted using the U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Univariate analysis was performed using the Logistic forced regression model, and variables with P<0.1 in the univariate analysis were included for multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Logistic stepwise regression model. The life table method was used to calculate survival rates and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curves. Log-rank test was used for survival analysis. Results:(1) Case resources: of the 42 hospitals, there were 35 class A of tertiary hospitals and 7 class B of tertiary hospitals, 16 hospitals with high admission of gallbladder cancer and 26 hospitals with low admission of gallbladder cancer, respectively. Geographical distribution of the 42 hospitals: there were 9 hospitals in central China, 5 hospitals in northeast China, 22 hospitals in eastern China and 6 hospitals in western China. Geographical distribution of the 6 159 patients: there were 2 154 cases(34.973%) from central China, 705 cases(11.447%) from northeast China, 1 969 cases(31.969%) from eastern China and 1 331 cases(21.611%) from western China. The total average number of cases undergoing diagnosis and treatment in hospitals of the 6 159 patients was 18.3±4.5 per year, in which the average number of cases undergoing diagnosis and treatment in hospitals of 4 974 patients(80.760%) from hospitals with high admission of gallbladder cancer was 38.8±8.9 per year and the average number of cases undergoing diagnosis and treatment in hospitals of 1 185 patients(19.240%) from hospitals with low admission of gallbladder cancer was 5.7±1.9 per year. (2) Age and sex distribution: the age of 6 159 patients diagnosed as gallbladder cancer was 64(56,71) years, in which the age of 2 247 male patients(36.483%) diagnosed as gallbladder cancer was 64(58,71)years and the age of 3 912 female patients(63.517%) diagnosed as gallbladder cancer was 63(55,71)years. The sex ratio of female to male was 1.74:1. Of 6 159 patients, 3 886 cases(63.095%) were diagnosed as gallbladder cancer at 56 to 75 years old. There was a significant difference on age at diagnosis between male and female patients ( Z=-3.99, P<0.001). (3) Diagnosis: of 6 159 patients, 2 503 cases(40.640%) were initially diagnosed as gallbladder cancer and 3 656 cases(59.360%) were initially diagnosed as non-gallbladder cancer. There were 2 110 patients(34.259%) not undergoing surgical treatment, of which 200 cases(9.479%) were initially diagnosed as gallbladder cancer and 1 910 cases(90.521%) were initially diagnosed as non-gallbladder cancer. There were 4 049 patients(65.741%) undergoing surgical treatment, of which 2 303 cases(56.878%) were initially diagnosed as gallbladder cancer and 1 746 cases(43.122%) were initial diagnosed as non-gallbladder cancer. Of the 1 746 patients who were initially diagnosed as non-gallbladder cancer, there were 774 cases(19.116%) diagnosed as gallbladder cancer during operation and 972 cases(24.006%) diagnosed as gallbladder cancer after operation. Of 6 159 patients, there were 2 521 cases(40.932%), 2 335 cases(37.912%) and 1 114 cases(18.087%) undergoing ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination before initial diagnosis, respec-tively, and there were 3 259 cases(52.914%), 3 172 cases(51.502%) and 4 016 cases(65.205%) undergoing serum carcinoembryonic antigen, CA19-9 or CA125 examination before initially diagnosis, respectively. One patient may underwent multiple examinations. Results of univariate analysis showed that geographical distribution of hospitals (eastern China or western China), age ≥72 years, gallbladder cancer annual admission of hospitals, whether undergoing ultrasound, CT, MRI, serum carcinoembryonic antigen, CA19-9 or CA125 examination before initially diagnosis were related factors influencing initial diagnosis of gallbladder cancer patients ( odds ratio=1.45, 1.98, 0.69, 0.68, 2.43, 0.41, 1.63, 0.41, 0.39, 0.42, 95% confidence interval as 1.21-1.74, 1.64-2.40, 0.59-0.80, 0.60-0.78, 2.19-2.70, 0.37-0.45, 1.43-1.86, 0.37-0.45, 0.35-0.43, 0.38-0.47, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that geographical distribution of hospitals (eastern China or western China), sex, age ≥72 years, gallbladder cancer annual admission of hospitals and cases undergoing ultrasound, CT, serum CA19-9 examination before initially diagnosis were indepen-dent influencing factors influencing initial diagnosis of gallbladder cancer patients ( odds ratio=1.36, 1.42, 0.89, 0.67, 1.85, 1.56, 1.57, 0.39, 95% confidence interval as 1.13-1.64, 1.16-1.73, 0.79-0.99, 0.57-0.78, 1.60-2.14, 1.38-1.77, 1.38-1.79, 0.35-0.43, P<0.05). (4) Surgical treatment and prognosis. Of the 4 049 patients undergoing surgical treatment, there were 2 447 cases(60.435%) with complete pathological staging data and follow-up data. Cases with pathological staging as stage 0, stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ, stage Ⅲa, stage Ⅲb, stage Ⅳa and stage Ⅳb were 85(3.474%), 201(8.214%), 71(2.902%), 890(36.371%), 382(15.611%), 33(1.348%) and 785(32.080%), respectively. The median follow-up time and median postoperative overall survival time of the 2 447 cases were 55.75 months (95% confidence interval as 52.78-58.35) and 23.46 months (95% confidence interval as 21.23-25.71), respectively. There was a significant difference in the overall survival between cases with pathological staging as stage 0, stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ, stage Ⅲa, stage Ⅲb, stage Ⅳa and stage Ⅳb ( χ2=512.47, P<0.001). Of the 4 049 patients undergoing surgical treatment, there were 2 988 cases(73.796%) with resectable tumor, 177 cases(4.371%) with unresectable tumor and 884 cases(21.833%) with tumor unassessable for resectabi-lity. Of the 2 988 cases with resectable tumor, there were 2 036 cases(68.139%) undergoing radical resection, 504 cases(16.867%) undergoing non-radical resection and 448 cases(14.994%) with operation unassessable for curative effect. Of the 2 447 cases with complete pathological staging data and follow-up data who underwent surgical treatment, there were 53 cases(2.166%) with unresectable tumor, 300 cases(12.260%) with resectable tumor and receiving non-radical resection, 1 441 cases(58.888%) with resectable tumor and receiving radical resection, 653 cases(26.686%) with resectable tumor and receiving operation unassessable for curative effect. There were 733 cases not undergoing surgical treatment with complete pathological staging data and follow-up data. There was a significant difference in the overall survival between cases not undergoing surgical treatment, cases undergoing surgical treatment for unresectable tumor, cases undergoing non-radical resection for resectable tumor and cases undergoing radical resection for resectable tumor ( χ2=121.04, P<0.001). (5) Multimodality therapy and prognosis: of 6 159 patients, there were 541 cases(8.784%) under-going postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and advanced chemotherapy, 76 cases(1.234%) under-going radiotherapy. There were 1 170 advanced gallbladder cancer (pathological staging ≥stage Ⅲa) patients undergoing radical resection, including 126 cases(10.769%) with post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy and 1 044 cases(89.231%) without postoperative adjuvant chemo-therapy. There was no significant difference in the overall survival between cases with post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy and cases without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( χ2=0.23, P=0.629). There were 658 patients with pathological staging as stage Ⅲa who underwent radical resection, including 66 cases(10.030%) with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and 592 cases(89.970%) without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. There was no significant difference in the overall survival between cases with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and cases without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( χ2=0.05, P=0.817). There were 512 patients with pathological staging ≥stage Ⅲb who underwent radical resection, including 60 cases(11.719%) with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and 452 cases(88.281%) without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. There was no significant difference in the overall survival between cases with postoperative adjuvant chemo-therapy and cases without post-operative adjuvant chemo-therapy ( χ2=1.50, P=0.220). Conclusions:There are more women than men with gallbladder cancer in China and more than half of patients are diagnosed at the age of 56 to 75 years. Cases undergoing ultrasound, CT, serum CA19-9 examination before initial diagnosis are independent influencing factors influencing initial diagnosis of gallbladder cancer patients. Preoperative resectability evaluation can improve the therapy strategy and patient prognosis. Adjuvant chemotherapy for gallbladder cancer is not standardized and in low proportion in China.

Diagnosis and treatment for unexpected gallbladder carcinoma(a retrospective study of 45 cases) / 中华外科杂志

Objective@#To investigate the rationale for appropriate diagnostic methods and treatment protocols for unexpected gallbladder carcinoma(UGC).@*Methods@#The clinical and pathological data of 45 patients with UGC admitted at Department of General Surgery, Xin Hua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,from January 2008 to December 2017 were retrospectively collected and analyzed.There were 11 males(28.9%) and 34 females(71.1%),aged 68 years(range:27 to 68 years).And there were 20 cases who aged above 70 years. Twenty-four cases were diagnosed preoperatively as cholecystolithiasis plus chronic cholecystitis.Ten cases were diagnosed preoperatively as cholecystolithiasis plus actue cholecystitis.Six cases were diagnosed preoperatively as cholecystolithiasis plus choledocholith.Six cases were admitted because of gallbladder polyp and 1 case was admitted because of gallbladder adenomyomatosis.@*Results@#Thirty-four patients with UGC received radical surgery.Among them,11 patients experienced postoperative complication and no posterative mortality occoured during hospital stay.Thirteen patients were diagnosed with T1b UGC, the harvested lymph node of Nx, N0, N1 and N2 was 2, 9, 1 and 1, respectively.In addition, 2 cases were identified to have local-regional tumor recurrence during our rescue radical surgery.The median overall survival time of the patients who did not receive radical surgery was 7 months(range:2-56 months).Nevertheless,the median overall survival time for patients diagnosed with T1, T2 and T3 tumors who received radical surgery, was 41 months(range: 19-82 months), 33.5 months(range: 31-36 months) and 17 months(range: 7-46 months), respectively.@*Conclusions@#For patients with UGC, rescue radical surgery can achieve a better survival time.Furhtermore, our experience proved that rescue radical surgery for UGC is safe and feasible.Therefore,rescue radical surgery should be performed in patients with diagnose with UGC especially those T1b patients.

The role of anatomical hepatectomy in the treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma / 中华外科杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the role of anatomical hepatectomy in the treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.@*Methods@#The cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma who received curative surgery in two hospitals from 2010 to 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Among the 98 patients enrolled in this study, 55 were male and 43 were female. The median age was 61 years. According to receiving anatomical hepatectomy or not, the 98 cases were divided into two groups: non-anatomical hepatectomy(n=30) and anatomical hepatectomy(n=68). The surgical results were compared between the two groups.Survival curves were plotted by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. The influence of each prognostic factor identified by univariate analysis was multivariate analysis by Cox′s proportional hazard regression.@*Results@#The duration of surgery was significantly prolonged in the anatomical hepatectomy group((196.4±94.9)minutes vs. (166.2±65.7)minutes, P=0.027), while there was no significant difference in terms of other surgical results such as intraoperative blood transfusion, postoperative morbidity and mortality rate. Compared to non-anatomical hepatectomy, anatomical hepatectomy significantly improved long-term survival results(14 months vs. 11 months)(χ2=4.641, P=0.031). Single variable analysis indicated that tumor differentiation, tumor numbers, T stage, N stage, anatomical hepatectomy and adjuvant therapy significantly affected overall survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that tumor numbers(HR=0.522, 95% CI: 0.259-0.974, P=0.042) and anatomical hepatectomy(HR=1.858, 95%CI: 1.092-3.161, P=0.022) were two independent prognostic factors for overall survival.@*Conclusion@#Compared to non-anatomical hepatectomy, anatomical hepatectomy performed for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is not only safe but also beneficial for long-term survival.

Research progress of gut microbiota dysbiosis after cholecystectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Gut microbiota is involved in the physiological,biochemical and pathological processes of the body.It could participate in the immunoregulation and the development of enteric nervous system,prevent the invasion of pathogens,maintain normal bowel movement and inhibit the occurrence of tumor.Gut microbiota dysbiosis may also cause many diseases,such as inflammatory bowel disease,obesity and diabetes.A variety of diseases can affect gut microbiota with different ways.In addition,remote organs play a counteractive rule to gut microbiota.Maintaining the balance of the bacteria sets different requirements in different disease processes.This paper reviewed the advanced progression of gut microbiota dysbiosis after cholecystectomy and provided a new therapeutic target for gallbladder diseases.

Hotspots and dilemmas in surgery of gallbladder cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is one of common cancers of the biliary tract.Surgery is the only possible way to cure this malignancy because other adjuvant therapies work ineffectively on GBC.This paper was aimed to discuss the hotspots and dilemmas in the field of surgery on GBC,such as preoperative jaundice,the role of tumor location on surgery,lymph node dissection,liver excision,combined vessel resection,the role of laparoscopy on surgery,and will provide clinical evidences for surgical treatment of GBC.

Method and significance of specimens standardized pathological treatment in pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic head cancer / 中华外科杂志

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a highly aggressive disease with a grim prognosis. Surgical resection offers the best chance for long-term survival. Negative-margin resection still remains the goal, the influence of margin status on outcomes in pancreatic head carcinoma remains controversial, as conflicting data have been plagued by a lack of standardization in R0 resection and margin definitions, pathologic analysis, and reporting. In contrast to common belief, a high rate of R1 resections in pancreatic cancer is not a marker of low-quality surgery but rather of high-quality pathology. The international pathological consensus of pancreatic head carcinoma is still needed to fully understand the prognostic value of margin status in order to optimize treatment strategy for this disease.

Role of polymorphisms of the IGF2 and IGFBP3 genes and risk of gastric carcinoma in China / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The insulin-like growth factor signaling pathway plays an important role in the modulation of cell growth and proliferation. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of polymorphisms of the insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) genes, which encode key proteins of this pathway, as risk factors for gastric carcinoma (GC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case-control study including 404 histologically confirmed GC patients and 424 healthy controls of the same ethnicity was conducted to retrospectively investigate the genetic polymorphisms of two genes, IGF2+820A>G (rs680) and IGFBP3 A-202C (rs2854744). Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Logistic regression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The IGF2 genetic variants examined contributed to GC risk individually (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08-1.46). The genotype frequencies of IGFBP3 A-202C were not significantly different between the cancer cases and controls (P > 0.05). Compared to the IGF2 AA genotype, carriers of one variant combined genotype were more pronounced among young subjects (<60 years), male subjects, never smokers, and those with a family history of cancer (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.09-1.72, P < 0.05; OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.28-2.08, P < 0.05; OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.11-1.98, P < 0.05; OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 0.91-2.6, P < 0.05; respectively). Moreover, when the combined effects of the risk genotypes were investigated, significant associations were detected between highrisk genotypes in IGF2 and IGFBP3 (OR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.75-3.49).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Our results suggest that polymorphic variants of the IGF2 genes modulate gastric carcinogenesis. Moreover, when the IGF2 and IGFBP3 variants are evaluated together, a greater effect on GC risk is observed.</p>

A prospective randomized controlled trial of pancreatic duct stent internal versus external drainage with pancreaticojejunostomy for the early curative effect after pancreaticoduodenectomy / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of pancreatic duct stent internal versus external drainage with pancreaticojejunostomy on the early curative effect after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The study was a prospective controlled trial. A total of 219 patients undergoing PD from January 2010 to March 2013 were randomly divided into external drainage group (n = 110) and internal drainage group (n = 109). The pancreatic duct stent was put in the jejunum during the operation in the internal drainage group, while that in the external drainage group was placed outside the body through the jejunum and abdominal wall. The intra-operative blood loss, operative duration, post-operative hospital stay, mortality rate, and the morbidity of pancreatic fistula as well as other complications were compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with internal drainage group, pancreatic duct stent external drainage obviously reduced the morbidity of pancreatic fistula (13.6% vs. 22.6%), delayed gastric emptying (10.0% vs. 27.5%), abdominal infection (6.4% vs. 19.3%), intestinal obstruction (8.2% vs. 20.2%) along with the overall complications (24.5% vs. 41.3%) after PD (χ(2) = 5.735 8 to 11.047 7, P < 0.05), and shortened the healing duration of pancreatic fistula ((11.5 ± 2.9) d vs. (20.1 ± 5.7) d, t = 5.07, P < 0.01), while there was no significant difference in the intra-operative blood loss, operative duration, post-operative hospital stay and mortality rate, etc between the two groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Pancreatic duct stent external drainage can effectively reduce the morbidity of pancreatic fistula and the overall complications after PD, which is safe and feasible. The method is worthy of popularization and application clinically.</p>

Anti-tumor effect of 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs on human gastric carcinoma cell lines in vitro / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To prepare cisPLLAtin-loaded polylactic acid/cnts, and to study the anti-tumor effect of 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs on human gastric carcinoma cell lines(MGC803 and MNK45).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>5-FU-PLLA-CNTs were prepared with ultrasound emulsification. The morphology of 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs was determined by scanning electron microscope(SEM), and its drug loading and drug release curve in vitro were detected by UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer. Cells were divided into experiment, positive control and negative control groups. CCK8 method was used to test the cytotoxic effect of 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs in different concentrations on MGC803 and MNK45 cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was employed to measure the apoptotic rate of MGC803 and MNK45 cells before and after the intervention of 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Deep layer film of 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs was successfully established, whose drug-load rate was(4.54±0.43)%, entrapment rate was(21.56±2.36)%. In vitro release test showed release rate within 24 h of 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs was 23.9% in a as lowly increasing manner, and accumulating release rate was 85.3% at day 31. CCk8 experiment revealed, as compared to control group, 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs significantly inhibited the proliferation of two cell lines in dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The best 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs concentration of inhibition for human gastric cancer cell lines was 1 mg/well. Flow cytometry indicated the apoptotic rate of MGC803 and MNK45 cells in experiment group treated by 1 mg/well 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs significantly increased as compared to negative control group (P<0.05), while the difference was not significant as compared to positive control group (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The 5-FU-PLLA-CNTs has good drug sustained-release capacity, and can significantly kill and inhibit the proliferation of MGC803 and MNK45 cell lines.</p>

Extent and ideas about regional lymphadenectomy for pancreatic head carcinoma / 中华消化外科杂志

Pancreatic carcinoma is a common malignancy of the digestive system,which has poor prognostic results because of its characteristics of lymphatic metastasis and perineural metastasis.Radical resection is considered as the only possible way to cure this malignant disease.As a part of the radical resection,regional lymphadenectomy has gained lots of attention,while there is no consensus regarding the extent of regional lymphadenectomy and the role of combined vessel resection.Recently,the artery-first approach and total mesopancreas excision have probed a new direction for the research of regional lymphadenectomy for pancreatic head carcinoma.

The impact of blood transfusion on postoperative short-term results of pancreaticoduodenectomy: a comparative study on 356 patients / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective To study the impact of blood transfusion on postoperative complications of pancreaticoduodenectomy.Methods The medical data of 356 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy from January 2005 to December 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.242 patients in the transfusion group received blood transfusion while the remaining patients in the non transfusion group received no blood transfusion.Results The rates of pancreatic fistula and pulmonary infection,mean operative time,intraoperative blood loss,and hospital stay were 17.8％,16.5％,6.4 h,920.0 ml and 29.1 d in the transfusion group compared with 8.8％,6.1％,5.4 h,150.0 ml and 25.9 d in the non-transfusion group,respectively (P＜0.05).However,there were no significant differences between the two groups in the rates of biliary fistula,gastrointestinal and intraabdominal bleeding,delayed gastric emptying and death.Conclusions Patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy in the non-transfusion group had significantly lower rates of pancreatic fistula and pulmonary infection,shorter operative time and hospital stay,and less intraoperative blood loss.This study suggested that a reduction in intraoperative blood loss by advanced instruments and techniques,with operations carried out by experienced pancreatic surgeons in specialized pancreatic center,could result in a significantly lower postoperative complication rate.

The technique and significance of No.12 lymph node dissection for advanced distal gastric cancer with D2 lymphadenectomy / 中华普通外科杂志

ObjectiveTo evaluate the technique and implications of No.12 lymph node dissection for advanced gastric cancer with D2 lymphadenectomy.MethodsIn this study 102 advanced gastric cancer patients undergoing D2 lymphadenectomy from January 2010 to January 2011were retrospectively analysed. ResultsThe average number of No.12 lymph node dissected was 4.3.The metastatic rate of No.12 lymph node was 21.6％.Postoperative pancreatic fistula developed in 4 cases,and lymphatic fistula in 6.There was no anastomotic leakage,lymphatic duct leakage,biliary leakage,post-operative jaundice and bleeding.ConclusionsNo.12 lymph node dissection for advanced gastric cancer is safe and necessary.

Three-step method for lymphadenectomy in gastric cancer surgery: a single institution experience of 120 patients.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies and a leading cause of cancer death. Complete resection is still the only treatment to offer a cure for patients with gastric cancer. Lymphadenectomy is the most important part of curative resection, but lymphadenectomy is also very difficult in gastric cancer surgery. The aim of this study was to report our 3-step method for lymphadenectomy and clarify its safety and value in gastric cancer. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 120 consecutive patients underwent our 3-step method for lymphadenectomy at the Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University College of Medicine between February 2006 and July 2007. The main surgical procedure was performed from right to left and from caudal to cranial. Clinical factors, surgical variables, postoperative morbidity, and hospital (30-day) mortality were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Total gastrectomy was performed in 41 patients; combined adjacent organ resection was performed in 9 patients. The mean operation time was 201.8 minutes, and the mean blood loss was 376.7 mL. The median postoperative hospital stay was 14.9 ± 4.3 days. A total of 3,569 lymph nodes (LNs) were removed and examined, and 2,879 were negative. More than 15 LNs were examined in all 120 patients. The median number of examined LNs was 29 (range 17 to 64; mean 29.7 ± SD 9.6) per patient, and the median number of positive LNs was 5 (range 0 to 37; mean 5.8 ± SD 7.1) per patient. The overall incidence of postoperative complications was 10.8%, and the rate of hospital death was 0%. The median follow-up period for those patients was 34.3 months (range 10 to 53 months), and the overall 3-year survival rate was 40.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The 3-step method for lymphadenectomy is easy to perform and is a safe and useful procedure for gastric cancer surgery.

Diagnosis and treatment of postoperative gastroduodenal fistulas in patients with severe acute pancreatitis / 中华胰腺病杂志

Objective To investigate the etiologies, mechanisms, diagnosis and management of postoperative gastroduodenal fistulas in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Methods The clinical data of 18 cases of postoperative gastroduodenal fistulas (PGF) in patients with SAP admitted in our hospital from Jan, 1996 to Dec, 2007 were analyzed retrospectively. Results Of 18 patients with SAP, 4 patients underwent cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration, 4 patients underwent pancreatic debridement and open saucer-type drainage, 10 patients underwent pancreatic debridement and pancreas-bed mobilization, abdominal closed drainage. Duodenal fistula occurred in 12 patients (66.7%), gastric fistula occurred in 6 patients (33.3%). 14 patients (77.8%) developed gastroduodenal fistula within 3 weeks of surgery, and 4 patients developed gastroduodenal fistula after 3 weeks of surgery. 16 patients (88.9%) were cured with non-surgical management including drainage, antibiotics and abscess cavity douching. The average length of stay was 65 days. Two patients (11.1%) died of intra-abdominal hemorrhage and intra-abdominal infection complicated with abdominal compartment syndrome and multiple organ dysfunction syndromes, respectively. Conclusions SAP complicated with postoperative gaatroduodenal fistulas could be cured by appropriate non-surgical treatment.