Robot-assisted laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer with common hepatic artery passed behind the portal vein: A case report

INTRODUCTION: It is essential to identify variations of celiac artery (CA) and common hepatic artery (CHA), using preoperative computed tomography (CT) imaging, for safe gastrectomy and lymph node dissection in gastric cancer (GC) surgery. We report a relatively rare case with the CHA passing behind the portal vein (PV), in which we performed robot-assisted total gastrectomy (RTG) after chemotherapy as conversion surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: A 78-year-old man with GC was referred for conversion surgery. Three-dimensional CT angiography revealed an anomalous CHA passing behind the PV. The anomaly corresponded to type I according to Adachi's classification, and the patient underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic total gastrectomy D2 lymphadenectomy (RTG D2) with Roux-en-Y reconstruction. The operation time was 543 min, blood loss was 115 ml, and no intraoperative complications occurred. The postoperative course was uneventful. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: A word of caution during the surgical procedure entails the manipulation of the suprapancreatic lymph node dissection. Initially, it is crucial to identify the anterior surface of the portal vein (PV) and the nerve plexus surrounding the common hepatic artery (CHA). After completely dissecting the entire circumference, the PV is secured using vascular tape. By gently pulling the vascular tape towards the ventral aspect, a safe execution of lymph node dissection no.8 and 12 on the dorsal side of the PV can be accomplished. Meticulous handling of the anatomical abnormalities observed in the preoperative images may prevent unintended hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: We report a case with vascular anomalies in which RTG D2 was performed successfully as a conversion surgery.