OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and safety of Da Vinci surgical robot in the dissection of splenic hilar lymph nodes for gastric cancer patients with total gastrectomy.

METHODSClinical data of two cases who underwent total gastrectomy for cardia cancer at our department in January 2016 were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSTwo male patients were 62 and 55 years old respectively, with preoperative diagnosis as cT2-3N0M0 and cT1-2N0M0 gastric cancer by gastroscope and biopsy, and both received robotic total gastrectomy spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection successfully. The operative time for splenic hilar lymph node dissection was 30 min and 25 min respectively. The intraoperative estimated blood loss was both 100 ml, while the number of total harvested lymph node was 38 and 33 respectively. One dissected splenic hilar lymph node and fatty tissues in two patients were proven by pathological examinations. There were no anastomotic leakage, pancreatic fistula, splenic infarction, intraluminal bleeding, digestive tract bleeding, aneurysm of splenic artery, and other operation-associated complications. Both patients suffered from postoperative pneumonia, and were cured by conservative therapy.

CONCLUSIONThe robotic spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection is feasible and safe, but its superiority needs further evaluation.