Intracorporeal Versus Extracorporeal Roux-en-Y Esophagojejunostomy During Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

Randomized Controlled Trial on Surgical Safety of Intracorporeal Versus Extracorporeal Roux-en-Y Esophagojejunostomy During Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

• To date, Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy transabdominal extracorporeally by circular stapler was the most common used method during laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy for gastric cancer, even though it was not totally laparoscopic surgery in which intracorporeal anastomosis should be performed.
• To gain potential clinical benefits from a smaller length of minilaparotomy and an easier anastomosis technique than extracorporeal anastomosis, intracorporeal Roux-en-Y anastomosis using a transorally inserted anvil (OrVil™) during totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy was adopted by experienced surgeons recently.
• However, the safety of intracorporeal Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy using a transorally inserted anvil (OrVil™) has not yet been evaluated. Thus, the study comparing the safety of intracorporeal versus extracorporeal Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy by circular stapler based on a well designed randomized controlled trial is needed.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age from over 18 to under 75 years
• Primary gastric adenocarcinoma confirmed pathologically by endoscopic biopsy
• Tumor located at middle or upper third of stomach while laparoscopic total gastrectomy is the planning surgery
• Tumor invasion is less than 3cm above the esophagogastric junction
• Performance status of 0 or 1 on ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) scale
• ASA (American Society of Anesthesiology) score class I, II, or III
• Written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women during pregnancy or breast-feeding
• Severe mental disorder
• History of previous upper abdominal surgery (except laparoscopic cholecystectomy)
• Conversion to open surgery before reconstruction