[Lymphatic flow of the remnant stomach]

Aiming at establishing an appropriate lymph node dissection for carcinoma of the remnant stomach and of the lower esophageal carcinoma in the status post-gastrectomy, lymphatic flow was investigated clinically as well as experimentally. Nineteen cases of carcinoma of the remnant stomach and 8 cases of esophageal carcinoma after partial gastrectomy were studied. Lymph node metastasis of the remnant stomach carcinoma were more frequently seen at perigastrium, splenic hilum, and along splenic artery. Those further extended to para-aortic and diaphragmatic nodes. Three cases of lower esophageal carcinoma after gastrectomy had massive nodal involvement at perigastrium, as well as intra-thoracic lymph nodes. Experimentally 5-Fu emulsion was injected submucosally under endoscope in 25 dogs and subserosally in 6 rabbits. 5-Fu contents in lymph nodes were measured 30 minutes after injection. The most prominent difference in lymphatic flow from the remnant stomach was increase in ascending flow into intrathoracic lymph nodes through para-aorta. This increment was seen irrespective of Billroth I or II anastomosis. On the contrary, descending lymphatic flow from the lower esophagus into the intra-abdominal lymph nodes was not disturbed by gastrectomy. Cardiac lymph node dissection in rabbits accelerated ascending flow. Those results would indicate the necessity of complete block of ascending flow in cases of the remnant stomach carcinoma and of intra-abdominal lymph node dissection in those of the lower esophageal carcinoma after gastrectomy.