Complete dissection of the lymph nodes located along and at the roots of the left gastroepiploic vessels during distal gastrectomy.

Achieving complete dissection of the lymph nodes located at the roots of the left gastroepiploic vessels is difficult when distal gastrectomy is the surgical goal; firstly, because the short gastric vessels must be preserved to supply blood to the remnant stomach; and also, because the roots of the left gastroepiploic vessels at the splenic hilus are obscured intraoperatively by adipose tissues. We describe herein a technique which enables complete and easy dissection of the lymph nodes located along and at the roots of the left gastroepiploic vessels.