Laparoscopic gastrectomy using intracorporeally hand-sewn anastomosis of esophagojejunostomy, gastroduodenostomy, or gastrojejunostomy for gastric cancer

Laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) using intracorporeal anastomosis has recently become more prevalent due to the advancements of laparoscopic surgical instruments. However, intracorporeally hand-sewn anastomosis (IHSA) is still uncommon because of technical difficulties. In this study, we evaluated various types of IHSA following LG with respect to the technical aspects and postoperative outcomes. Seventy-six patients who underwent LG using IHSA for treatment of gastric cancer between September 2014 and June 2018 were enrolled in this study. We described the details of IHSA in step-by-step manner, evaluated the clinicopathological data and surgical outcomes, and summarized the clinical experiences. Four types of IHSA have been described: one for total gastrectomy (Roux-en-Y) and 3 for distal gastrectomy (Roux-en-Y, Billroth I, and Billroth II). The mean operation time and anastomotic time was 288.7 minutes and 54.3 minutes, respectively. Postoperative complications were observed in 13 patients. All of the patients recovered well with conservative surgical management. There was no case of conversion to open surgery, anastomotic leakage, or mortality. LG using IHSA was safe and feasible and had several advantages compared to mechanical anastomosis. The technique lengthened operating time, but this could be mitigated by increased surgical training and experience.