Surgical anatomy of gastric lymphatic drainage.

The lymphatic system of the stomach is a multidirectional and complex network composed of lymphatic nodes and vessels. Lymph node metastasis is the most important prognostic factor in curable gastric cancer and lymph node dissection is one of the main areas of surgical research in gastric cancer. Therefore the anatomical classification and embryological development of the gastric lymphatic system have been well described in the literature. The current description of the gastric lymphatic system of the stomach has a surgical orientation and follows the recommendations of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association. A thorough knowledge of the lymphatic system surrounding the stomach proves to be invaluable to surgeons treating patients with gastric cancer. The aim of this paper is to provide a concise review about surgical anatomy of the gastric lymphatic drainage.