Transabdominal operation for carcinoma of the gastric cardia: application of pulling-up retractor and EEA stapler

In order to ascertain the advantages of the combined use of the pulling-up retractor and EEA stapler, we reviewed 88 patients who underwent surgery for upper stomach cancer between 1978 and 1986. The length of resected esophagus was significantly longer in patients operated on using an abdominal approach with this combination, as in those using a thoracoabdominal approach, than in those who were operated on using an abdominal approach with only the retractor or without the instruments (p less than 0.05). A relatively high incidence of leakage occurred at the anastomosis of the esophagus to the stomach or jejunum following operation using a transabdominal approach without the instruments. Pulmonary complication tended to be decreased in the non-thoracotomized patients compared to the thoracotomized patients. Postoperative radiogram following the combined use showed an esophagogastrostomy at a high level in the mediastinum. Our combination technique enables lymphadenectomy in the lower mediastinum and a sufficiently long enough resection of the esophagus without fatal complications.