[Short-term efficacy evaluation of laparoscopic spleen-preserving splenic hilus lymphadenectomy and left epigastrium mesogastric excision for advanced proximal gastric cancer based on mesangial anatomy].

To investigate short-term efficacy of laparoscopic spleen-preserving splenic hilus lymphadenectomy and left epigastrium mesogastric excision for advanced proximal gastric cancer based on mesangial anatomy. A case series study was carried out. Case inclusion criteria: (1) patient was confirmed as gastric adenocarcinoma by gastroscopic biopsy before operation; (2) locally advanced gastric cancer was confirmed by abdominal CT before operation; (3) no distant metastases such as liver, lung, and posterior peritoneal lymph nodes, and no tumor directly invading the pancreas, spleen, liver, and colon were verified by superficial lymph node ultrasound, chest and abdominal CT before operation;(4) total gastrectomy or proximal gastrectomy plus D2 lymphadenectomy were performed, and R0 resection was confirmed by postoperative pathology. Exclusion criteria: (1) intraperitoneal dissemination or distant metastasis was found during laparoscopic exploration; (2) No.10 lymph nodes were significantly enlarged or fused into clusters; (3) pathological diagnostic data were incomplete. According to above criteria, the clinicopathological data of 36 patients who underwent laparoscopic spleen-preserving No.10 lymphadenectomy and left epigastrium mesogastric excision based on interspace anatomy for advanced proximal gastric cancer in The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June 2017 to March 2018 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The intraoperative conditions, postoperative recovery and complications of patients were analyzed. In 36 patients, the mean age was (59.8±8.0) years, the mean BMI was (23.9±3.5) kg/m(2), and 8 cases (22.2%) received preoperative chemotherapy. All the patients underwent successfully the laparoscopic spleen-preserving splenic hilus lymphadenectomy and left epigastrium mesogastric excision. In the examination of postoperative resected specimens, it was found that the mesangial boundary of the upper and posterior part of the stomach was smooth, indicating the efficiency of complete mesangial resection. No case was converted to open operation. The mean time of lymph node dissection and mesangial resection was (34.2±11.4) minutes. The mean blood loss during operation was (44.8±21.3) ml. The mean number of lymph node dissection per patient was 45.6±17.6. The mean number of No. 11p+11d lymph node dissection was 3.1± 2.8 per patient, and 7 patients were pathologically positive with metastasis rate of 19.4% (7/36). The mean number of No.10 lymph node dissection was 2.9±2.5 per patient, and 2 patients were pathologically positive with metastasis rate of 5.6% (2/36). The time to postoperative flatus was (3.8±0.6) days, time to removal of nasogastric was (1.9±0.7) days, time to the first intake of fluid was (3.0±0.4) days, time to removal of drainage tube was (6.0±1.2) days. Postoperative mean hospital stay was (12.8±4.0) days. One case (2.7%) developed pulmonary embolism and 1 case (2.7%) developed gastroplegia after operation. The morbidity of postoperative complication was 5.6% (2/36). No operative site infection, postoperative bleeding and death within postoperative 30-day were observed. All the 36 patients were followed up and the median follow-up was 18 months (12-28 months). Seven patients died of tumor relapse and metastasis (3 cases died within postoperative 1 year) and another 1 case developed colonic cancer 17 months after operation. Laparoscopic spleen-preserving splenic hilus lymphadenectomy and left epigastrium mesogastric excision for advanced proximal gastric cancer based on mesangial anatomy is safe and feasible.