Role of obesity and abdominal shape morphometric features to predict postoperative complications and quality of lymph node dissection of gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Obesity and abdominal shape morphometric features have been thought to be independent risk factors for surgical outcomes after gastrectomy.A total of 113 patients undergoing surgery for primary gastric adenocarcinoma from June 2011 to January 2015 were retrospectively included. Body mass index, visceral fatty area, anterior-posterior abdominal and transverse diameters and depth ratio at levels of the umbilicus, the gastroesophageal junction and the root of the celiac artery were measured or calculated. Patients were grouped according to body mass index (<25.0 kg/m2or ≥25.0 kg/m2) or median value of these parameters. Surgical outcomes including postoperative complications, total and metastatic lymph node numbers and their ratio were compared.There was a significant association between body mass index and abdominal shape indexes. Body mass index and abdominal shape indexes showed no statistical significance on development of complications. But, lymph node numbers and their ratio were negatively affected by depth ratio at the root of the celiac artery.Our findings showed that gastrectomy with curative intent can be performed safely in patients with higher body mass index and abdominal shape indexes. Therefore, there is no need to perform any change in surgical strategy according to these measurements and calculations.