BACKGROUND/AIMS: Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy is a surgical procedure which is safe, useful, and technically feasible for patients with early gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to determine whether laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy is also superior to conventional open distal gastrectomy. METHODOLOGY: The study comprised 27 consecutive patients with early gastric cancer who were admitted to our hospital from 1997 to 2000 and underwent distal gastrectomy. Ten patients underwent laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy; and 17 conventional open distal gastrectomy. RESULTS: Estimated blood loss was 17.7 +/- 12.1 g during laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy, and 250.0 +/- 160.8 g during conventional open distal gastrectomy. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The day of ambulation (2.7 +/- 0.7 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.0), and start of liquid diet (6.9 +/- 1.2 vs. 4.3 +/- 0.5) were significantly delayed in conventional open distal gastrectomy compared with laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (p < 0.001, p < 0.05). At the 3rd postoperative day, the serum C-reactive protein level in laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy decreased significantly more than that in conventional open distal gastrectomy (4.2 +/- 1.7 vs. 9.4 +/- 2.5: p < 0.05). No postoperative complication was found in laparaoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy is a safe and useful operation for most early gastric cancers. Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy has been superior to conventional open distal gastrectomy.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy is a surgical procedure which is safe, useful, and technically feasible for patients with early gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to determine whether laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy is also superior to conventional open distal gastrectomy. METHODOLOGY: The study comprised 27 consecutive patients with early gastric cancer who were admitted to our hospital from 1997 to 2000 and underwent distal gastrectomy. Ten patients underwent laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy; and 17 conventional open distal gastrectomy. RESULTS: Estimated blood loss was 17.7 +/- 12.1 g during laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy, and 250.0 +/- 160.8 g during conventional open distal gastrectomy. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The day of ambulation (2.7 +/- 0.7 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.0), and start of liquid diet (6.9 +/- 1.2 vs. 4.3 +/- 0.5) were significantly delayed in conventional open distal gastrectomy compared with laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (p < 0.001, p < 0.05). At the 3rd postoperative day, the serum C-reactive protein level in laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy decreased significantly more than that in conventional open distal gastrectomy (4.2 +/- 1.7 vs. 9.4 +/- 2.5: p < 0.05). No postoperative complication was found in laparaoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy is a safe and useful operation for most early gastric cancers. Laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy has been superior to conventional open distal gastrectomy.