Reduced Port Distal Gastrectomy With a Multichannel Port Plus One Puncture (POP)

This report describes the techniques and outcomes of reduced port distal gastrectomy (RPDG) with a multichannel port plus one puncture (POP) for gastric cancer patients.

A total of eight patients underwent a RPDG using the E･Z Access™/LAPPROTECTOR™ (Hakko Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) oval type devices with POP by a single surgeon. The median age of the patients was 66 years (range 48-75 years), and their median BMI was 22.3 kg/m2 (range 17.7-26.8 kg/m2). One (12.5 %) of eight patients was female. A thin caliber trocar MiniPort™ (Covidien, New Haven, CT) was inserted at the left upper quadrant by puncture without incision. An assistant used Endo Relief™ (Hope Denshi Co. Ltd., Chiba, Japan) needlescopic forceps. In three cases, the pre-bent forceps (KTY-I, Adachi Industry Co. Ltd., Gifu, Japan) was introduced for surgeon's left hand. After the liver was retracted with a 2-0 Prolene suture, a distal subtotal resection of the stomach with D1+ or D2 lymph node dissection was performed. The Roux-en-Y method or Billroth-I anastomosis was used for reconstruction. The short-term patient outcomes were investigated to evaluate the feasibility of RPDG with POP.

We employed this technique without the use of additional trocars in every patient except one. No conversion to laparotomy was observed. Both the Endo Relief™ forceps and prebent forceps were useful to maintain countertraction and keep triangulation. The median length of the operation was 374 (range, 268-420) minutes, and the median estimated blood loss was 45 (range, 5-180) ml. The median number of dissected lymph nodes was 32 (range 22-46). Neither major postoperative complications, such as anastomotic leakage and stricture, nor postoperative mortality were observed. The mean length of the hospital stay was 1,5 days. The umbilical wound was indistinct.

RPDG with POP using a needlescopic device procedure is feasible in terms of patient safety and curability.