The study aimed to assess postoperative complication rates of different oesophagojejunostomy (EJ) techniques used in laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

A total of 1155 patients who underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy were retrospectively selected from the data obtained from the Korean Nationwide Survey for gastric cancer in 2019. Morbidity rate was compared between patients who received intracorporeal or extracorporeal EJ using linear or circular staplers during laparoscopic total gastrectomy. The variables of the groups were balanced using the inverse probability of treatment weighting.

Seven hundred and seventy-three patients received intracorporeal EJ using a linear stapler (IL), 137 received intracorporeal EJ using a circular stapler (IC), 134 received extracorporeal EJ using a linear stapler (EL) and 111 received extracorporeal EJ using a circular stapler (EC). The overall complication rates were lower in the extracorporeal group (EL: 13.4% versus EC: 12.6%) compared to the intracorporeal group (IL: 22.6% versus IC: 17.5%) (P = 0.006). Fewer major complications were observed in the extracorporeal group (EL: 1.4% versus EC: 1.8%) compared to the intracorporeal group (IL: 9.4% versus IC: 7.3%) (P = 0.004). There was no significant difference in EJ-related complications between the groups (P = 0.418 in EJ leakage and P = 0.474 in EJ stricture). Multivariable analysis showed that the IL method correlated with more overall and major complications than the extracorporeal method.

The results of this study suggest that despite its widespread use, the IL method is a challenging procedure with higher complication rates than the extracorporeal method. Further high-quality studies are required to confirm the results.

The development of laparoscopic technology has provided a new choice for surgery of gastric cancer (GC), but the advantages and disadvantages of laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) and laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) in treatment effect and safety are still controversial. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of the two methods in the treatment of GC, and to provide a basis for clinical decision-making.

To compare the efficacy of totally LTG (TLTG) and LATG in the context of radical gastrectomy for GC. Additionally, we investigated the safety and feasibility of the total laparoscopic esophagojejunostomy technique.

Literature on comparative studies of the above two surgical methods for GC (TLTG group and LATG group) published before September 2022 were searched in the PubMed, Web of Science, Wanfang Database, CNKI, and other Chinese and English databases. In addition, the following search keywords were used: Gastric cancer, total gastrectomy, total laparoscopy, laparoscopy-assisted, esophagojejunal anastomosis, gastric/stomach cancer, total gastrectomy, totally/completely laparoscopic, laparoscopic assisted/laparoscopy assisted/laparoscopically assisted, and esophagojejunostomy/esophagojejunal anastomosis. Review Manager 5.3 software was used for the meta-analysis after two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and evaluated the risk of bias in the included studies.

After layer-by-layer screening, 258 pieces of literature were recovered, and 11 of those pieces were eventually included. This resulted in a sample size of 2421 instances, with 1115 cases falling into the TLTG group and 1306 cases into the LATG group. Age or sex differences between the two groups were not statistically significant, according to the meta-analysis, however the average body mass index of the TLTG group was considerably higher than that of the LATG group (P = 0.01). Compared with those in the LATG group, the incision length in the TLTG group was significantly shorter (P < 0.001), the amount of intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower (P = 0.003), the number of lymph nodes removed was significantly greater (P = 0.04), and the time of first postoperative feeding and postoperative hospitalization were also significantly shorter (P = 0.03 and 0.02, respectively). There were no significant differences in tumor size, length of proximal incisal margin, total operation time, anastomotic time, postoperative pain score, postoperative anal exhaust time, postoperative anastomosis-related complications (including anastomotic fistula, anastomotic stenosis, and anastomotic hemorrhage), or overall postoperative complication rate (P > 0.05).

TLTG and esophagojejunostomy are safe and feasible. Compared with LATG, TLTG has the advantages of less trauma, less bleeding, easier access to lymph nodes, and faster postoperative recovery, and TLTG is also suitable for obese patients.

The most common intrathoracic anastomosis techniques for Siewert type II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) are the overlap and transorally inserted anvil (OrVil) methods. However, the criteria for choosing between these two methods require further study.

This retrospective study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of overlap versus OrVil anastomosis in transabdominal radical surgery for Siewert type II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction.

A total of 34 patients with Siewert type II AEG who underwent transabdominal radical surgery and intrathoracic anastomosis with the overlap or OrVil methods at our center from January 2018 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The relevant surgical and postoperative complication data of the two groups were collected and analyzed.

Clinical characteristics: the mean tumor size was 7.5 ±2.4 cm in the OrVil group and 4.3 ±1.9 cm in the overlap group (p < 0.05). Surgery: the distance from the upper resection margin of the esophagus to the tumor was 3.2 ±0.84 cm in the OrVil group and 2.4 ±0.6 cm in the overlap group (p < 0.05). Postoperative complications: there were two cases of pleural effusion in the OrVil group and 18 cases of pleural effusion in the overlap group (p < 0.05).

There is no significant difference between the OrVil and overlap anastomosis in terms of the feasibility and safety; however, OrVil anastomosis can provide a higher margin of resection of the esophagus and is suitable for tumors with extensive esophageal invasion.

Totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy has been developed with difficulty in intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy. Although mechanical stapling has been widely used for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy, manual suture holds great promise with the emergence of high-resolution 3D vision and robotic surgery. After exploration of how to improve the safety and efficiency of intracorporeal suture for esophagojejunostomy, we recommended the technique of single-layer running "trapezoid-shaped" suture. The cost-effectiveness was analyzed by comparing with conventional mechanical stapling.

The study retrospectively reviewed the patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer from January 2010 to December 2021. The patients were divided into two cohorts based on the methods of intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy: manual suture versus stapling suture. Propensity score matching was performed to match patients from the two cohorts at a ratio of 1:1. Then group comparison was made to determine whether manual suture was non-inferior to stapling suture in terms of operation time, anastomotic complications, postoperative hospital stay, and surgical cost.

The study included 582 patients with laparoscopic total gastrectomy. The manual and stapling suture for esophagojejunostomy were performed in 50 and 532 patients, respectively. In manual suture cohort, the median time for the whole operation and digestive tract reconstruction were 300 min and 110 min. There was no anastomotic bleeding and stenosis but two cases of anastomotic leak which occurred at 3 days after surgery. The median length of postoperative hospital stay was 11 days. After propensity score matching, group comparison yielded two variables with statistical significance: time for digestive tract reconstruction and surgery cost. The manual suture cohort spent less money but more time for esophagojejunostomy. Intriguingly, the learning curve of manual suture revealed that the time for digestive tract reconstruction was declined with accumulated number of operations.

Laparoscopic single-layer running "trapezoid-shaped" suture appears safe and cost-effective for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy after total gastrectomy. Although the concern remains about prolonged operation time for beginners of performing the suture method, adequate practice is expected to shorten the operation time based on our learning curve analysis.