OBJECTIVETo investigate the better method of digestive tract reconstruction in proximal gastrectomy for early gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.

METHODSA total of 153 cases of early gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma who were planned to receive radical proximal gastrectomy from January 2003 to December 2011 were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into two groups by table of random number according to methods of digestive tract reconstruction, including 3S anastomosis group (80 cases, 3S jejunal interposition) and traditional anastomosis group (73 cases, esophageal remnant gastric posterior wall anastomosis). Postoperative complications, operative time, mortality, nutritional parameters and postoperative quality of life were compared between these two groups.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between two groups in postoperative complications, operative time and mortality (all P>0.05). 3S anastomosis group was better in nutritional parameters than traditional group six months after operation (P<0.05). As compared to traditional group, incidence of reflux esophagitis decreased [20.0%(16/80) vs. 46.6%(34/73), P<0.01] and gastric emptying time prolonged obviously [(160.8±8.1) min vs. (61.1±10.8) min, P<0.01] in 3S anastomosis group 18 months after operation. Postoperative QLQ-C30 rating scale revealed quality of life was significantly higher in 3S anastomosis group as compared to traditional group.

CONCLUSIONJejunal interposition is a better method of digestive tract reconstruction in proximal gastrectomy for early gastroesophageal junction carcinoma.