The short-term and long-term outcomes of indocyanine green tracer-guided laparoscopic radical gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of indocyanine green (ICG) imaging navigational laparoscopic gastrectomy remain controversial. This study is to evaluate the short-term and long-term outcomes of ICG-guided laparoscopic radial gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: Consecutive patients with definitive diagnosis of gastric cancer that underwent laparoscopic radical gastrectomy were collected retrospectively. Propensity score matching (PSM) at 1:1 ratio was performed to compare the outcomes of two groups. RESULTS: A total of 122 qualified patients were divided into ICG group (n = 34) and non-ICG group (n = 88). PSM yielded 28 patients with comparable baseline characteristics into each group. The number of retrieved lymph node in ICG group was significantly higher than that in non-ICG group (P = 0.0196). There was no statistical difference of perioperative, short-term, and long-term complications between the two groups. CONCLUSION: ICG-guided laparoscopic radical gastrectomy is safe and effective, and ICG-navigated lymphadenectomy improves the number of retrieved lymph nodes for patients with gastric cancer.