Clinical significance of No. 10 and 11 lymph nodes posterior to the splenic vessel in D2 radical total gastrectomy: An observational study

D2 lymphadenectomy is widely performed for advanced proximal gastric cancer, but complete dissection of No. 10 and 11 lymph nodes (LNs) is technically challenging, especially for those posterior to the splenic vessel. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of removing No. 10 and 11 LNs posterior to the splenic vessel in radical total gastrectomy. Between January 2013 and February 2015, 53 patients who underwent spleen-preserving D2 radical total gastrectomy were enrolled. While dissecting No. 10 and 11 LNs, we divided them into 2 parts, namely LNs anterosuperior and posterior to the splenic vessel, and the pathological data were reviewed. Sixteen patients underwent laparoscopy and 37 underwent laparotomy. No mortality was recorded. According to the pathological results, the TNM stages of the tumor were IIA in 11 patients (20.8%), IIB in 5 (9.4%), IIIA in 7 (13.2%), IIIB in 10 (18.9%), and IIIC in 20 (18.9%). The mean number of LNs retrieved was 30.3 ± 12.3. The sum of No. 10 and 11 LNs posterior to the splenic vessel was 59 and the mean number was 1.11 ± 1.47. One LN with metastasis was found in the special 59 regional LNs, and the metastasis rate was 1.9% (1/53). Concerning the low metastasis rate (1.9%) and difficult complete dissection of No. 10 and 11 LNs posterior to the splenic vessel, our initial analysis suggests that the rate of No. 10 and 11 LNs posterior to the splenic vessel metastasis was 1.9%, but further studies are needed to reveal its clinical significance in D2 radical total gastrectomy for advanced proximal gastric cancer.