Risk Factors and Clavien–Dindo Classification of Postoperative Complications After Laparoscopic and Open Gastrectomies for Gastric Cancer: A Single-Center, Large Sample, Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy has been increasingly used for the surgery of gastric cancer. However, the postoperative complications are still under-investigated and the short-term results of laparoscopic gastrectomy remain controversial. This study aimed to explore the differences of postoperative complications between laparoscopic and open radical gastrectomies in patients with gastric cancer through the large sample size, retrospective cohort study, and evaluate the safety of laparoscopy in patients who underwent radical gastrectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 2,966 patients with gastric cancer (TNM I~III) who underwent laparoscopy or open gastrectomy from February 2009 to March 2016 were enrolled in this study. Complications were categorized according to the Clavien–Dindo classification. The incidence and severity of complications between laparoscopic and open gastrectomy were compared using one-to-three propensity score matching (PSM) analysis. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors related to postoperative complications. RESULTS: A total of 2,966 patients were included in the study, including 687 (23.2%) in the LG (Laparoscopy gastrectomies) group and 2,279 (76.8%) in the OG (open gastrectomies) group. After PSM, a well-balanced cohort of 2,373 patients (676 cases in the LG group and 1,697 cases in the OG group) was further analyzed. The results showed that the incidence of overall complications in the LG group was significantly less than the OG group (15.4% vs 20.8%, P=0.003). However, the severe complications of the LG group showed no difference towards the OG group (5.8% vs 5.8%, P=0.952). Multivariate analysis revealed that laparoscopic surgery is a protective factor for the reduction of postoperative complications. Age ≥60 years, ASA classification IIIc and estimated blood loss ≥200 mL were confirmed as independent risk factors of overall complications. CONCLUSION: Compared with traditional open gastrectomy, LG is safe and feasible with less trauma and fewer complications for patients with gastric cancer.