[Robot Assisted Para-Aortic Lymphadenectomy in Gastric Cancer Surgery]

Para-aortic lymphadenectomy in gastric cancer surgery is a highly difficult surgical technique. In our hospital, we introduced robotic surgery in anticipation of the minimal invasiveness and advanced operability. We use a tunneling approach that progresses from the Treitz ligament to the peri-aorta. The transverse mesocolon is expanded with a tissue grasping clip, and the retroperitoneum is incised from the side of the Treitz ligament to approach the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava. The No.16b1 and No.16a2 latero lymph nodes can be dissected with a good visual field. When it is judged that the visual field development of the No.16a2 inter-lymph nodes is poor, Kocher's operation is added. Since 2016, 18 patients have undergone para-aortic lymphadenectomy, 3 of whom underwent robotic surgery in our hospital. R0 resection was performed in all the cases, and 22.5 lymph nodes were dissected as No.16 lymph nodes(20.0 in all the cases included laparotomy). Although only a small number of patients were examined, robot-assisted para-aortic lymphadenectomy was considered safe.