Laparoscopic surgery has been adopted for the treatment of gastric cancer in recent years around the world.New advances in these techniques have been achieved. This paper provides an overview of the clinical outcome of laparoscopic surgery for early gastric cancer and advanced gastric cancer,the application of laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preserving gastrectomy,the technical characteristics of laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy,the values of single-incision laparoscopically assisted surgery and the application status and prospect of robotassisted laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Da Vinci robotic surgical system have some advantages of defibrillation,three-dimensional (3D) view and flexible operation,and it has been gradually applied in radical gastrectomy,colorectal cancer radical resection,complex hepatic resection,biliary tract surgery,partial resection of pancreas and pancreaticoduodenectomy in the fiell of digestive surgery,with satisfactory clinical efficacy.Compared with traditional laparoscopic and open operations,Da Vinci robotic surgical system is more precise and flexible,with advantages of minimal invasion and good application value,however,longer operation time,expensive surgery cost and indefinite long-term efficacy of malignant tumor need to be further improved.

Laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer with the advantages of slight pain,micro-invasive trauma and fast recovery has been accepted gradually by most surgeons and increasingly used in the field of surgery.However,how to establish a standardized laparoscopic surgery procedure for gastric cancer and improve the operation skills need to be solved urgently.Meanwhile,a reliable technical support of laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer should be provided by controlling strictly the operation indications,standardizing surgical procedures,building a standardized training system,improving perioperative management and applying enhanced recovery program in patients with gastric cancer,and it will provide greater benefits to more and more patients.

Objective To summarize the experience in application of da Vinci robotic surgical system in radical resection of rectal cancer,and investigate the proper position of trocars and operative techniques.Methods The clinical data of 13 patients who received radical resection of rectal cancer accomplished by the da Vinci robotic surgical system at the Southwest Hospital from February 2010 to February 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were in lithotomy position and received combined intravenous anesthesia.Five or 4 trocars were used.Miles procedures were performed on patients with lower tumor position,and the other patients received Dixon procedure.Results The operation was successfully performed on all patients.Five trocars were selected for the first 3 patients,and 4 trocars for the other 10 patients.Nine Dixon procedures and 4 Miles procedures were selected.The mean operation time was 217.3 minutes (range,160-260 minutes).The mean operative blood loss was 53.3 ml (range,40-70 ml) in Dixon procedure and 120.0 ml (range,90-130 ml) in the Miles procedure,and no blood transfusion was needed.The mean number of lymph nodes dissected was 13.9 (range,8-21 ),and the time to bowel movement was 3.2 days (range,2-5 days).Two patients were complicated with pulmonary infection,1 with urinary tract infection,and they were cured by antimicrobial therapy.No other morbidity or mortality was found.The results of postoperative pathological examination showed that there were no residual cancer cells at the resection margin,and the distance between the resection margin and the tumor was 6.3 cm (range,3-10 cm).There were 1 patient in stage Ⅰ,5 in stage Ⅱ and 7 in stage Ⅲ.The mean time of follow-up was 5.9 months (range,3-12 months),and no recurrence or metastasis was found during follow-up.ConclusionsRadical resection of rectal cancer with da Vinci robotic surgical system utilizing 4 trocars has the advantages of minimally invasive surgery with fast recovery as well as the ease of dissection afforded by the surgical robot.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility, safety and the long-termoutcomes of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) for advanced gastric cancer (AGC).MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical and follow-up data of 346 cases after LADG from January 2004 to June 2009, compared with 313 cases after conventional open distal gastrectomy (ODG) for advanced gastric cancer at the same period at our hospital. The surgical safety, postoperative complications, survival rate, and the recurrence and metastasis of cancer were compared.ResultsThere was no significant difference at the average time of LADG and ODG procedures (211 ± 56) min vs.(204 ±41 ) min, but blood loss during operation and length of incision in LADG group were significantly less than in the ODG group. The proximal and distal length were, respectively, (6. 3 ± 2. 0) cm and (5. 7 ± 1.7 ) cm in LADG group and (6. 3 ±2. 1 ) cm and (5.6 ± 1.6) cm in ODG group, the difference was not significant. The number of lymph node dissections was also similar: (33 ± 13) in LADG group and (33 ± 16) in ODG group. The incidence of postoperative complications in LADG group was significantly lower than that in ODG group ( 6. 7％ vs.13. 1％, P ＜ 0. 05). During the follow-up period of 6-72 months (average 37 months), the 1-, 3-and 5-year survival rates were, respectively, 87. 2％, 57. 2％ and 50. 3％ in LADG group and 87. 1％, 54. 1％and 49. 2％ in ODG group, the difference was not significant. The differences in recurrence and metastasis between the two groups were not statistically significant.ConclsionLaparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer is not significantly different with open surgery in postoperative survival rate or recurrence. It is less traumatic and of fewer complications.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of a new anvil inserting method for esophagogastrostomy or esophagojejunostomy during laparoscopic radical proximal gastrectomy or radical total gastrectomy for gastric cancer.Methods The clinical data of 21 patients with gastric cancer who received laparoscopic radical proximal gastrectomy or radical total gastrectomy at the Southwest Hospital from March 2010 to February 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.Five trocars were inserted through the abdominal wall of the patients.After perigastric lymphadenectomy and mobilization of esophagus,an incision was made on the esophagus above the tumor,and then the anvil with drawn wire attached was inserted into the esophagus.An endo-cutter was applied to cut the esophagus adjacent to the incision left the drawn wire untouched,and then the stem of the anvil was pulled out by the drawn wire for laparoscopic anastomosis. Results The operations were successfully accomplished under the laparoscope with no conversion to open surgery.Fifteen patients received laparoscopic radical total gastrectomy and 6 received laparoscopic radical proximal gastrectomy. The mean operation time,volume of blood loss,time to off-bed activity,passage of flatus and postoperative duration of hospital stay were (257 ± 38) minutes,( 119 ± 32) ml,(2.5 ± 0.5 ) days,( 3.7 ± 0.8 ) days and (7.5 ± 2.6) days,respectively.No perioperative mortality,anastomotic bleeding or anastomotic fistula was detected.One patient was complicated with pulmonary infection + pleural effusion and was cured by conservative treatment; 1 was complicated with anastomotic stenosis which was alleviated by gastroscopic balloon dilation; 1 was complicated by incisional infection and was cured by medical treatment after drainage.No cancer cells were detected at the anastomotic ring or resection margin of the specimen.There were 4 patients with well-differentiated adenoma,8 with moderate-differentiated adenoma and 9 with poor-differentiated mucinous adenoma.There were 5 patients in stage Ⅰ,10 in stage Ⅱ and 6 in stage Ⅲ (UICC staging).Twenty-one patients were followed up for a mean period of (11 ±4) months (range,6-17 months ),no tumor recurrence or metastasis was detected. Conclusions The new technique for anvil insertion is safe,effective and easy for manipulation and learn.It offers a new approach for laparoscopic digestive tract reconstruction.

Objective To investigate the effects of CO_2 pneumoperitoneum on the expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) of gastric cancer MKN-45 cells. Methods CO_2 pneumoperitoneum with different pressures was simulated in vitro, and the gastric cancer MKN-45 cells were divided into test and control groups. In the test group, gastric cancer MKN-45 cells were cultured in CO_2 pneumoperitoneum with different pressures [5, 10 or 15 mm Hg (1 mm Hg =0.133 kPa)] for 4 hours. The condition of the cells exposed to CO_2 pneumoperitoneum with a pressure of 15 mm Hg was observed at 0.5, 2 and 4 hours. Gastric cancer MKN-45 cells in control group were cultured at normal atmospheric pressure. The expression of FAK and phosphorylated FAK (FAK Tyr397) of each group was detected by Western blot. Multiple-group analysis was done by one-way ANOVA, and intergroup comparison was done by LSD test. Results In CO_2 pneumoperitoneum with pressures of 5, 10, 15 mm Hg, the expression of FAK was 2.14±0.17, 2.07±0.21 and 2.52±0.26, respectively, and the expression of FAK Tyr397 was 1.82±0.28, 1.93±0.52 and 3.71±0.37, respectively. The expression of FAK and FAK Tyr397 in the control group was 2.43±0.46 and 1.71±0.23, respectively. We found significant differences between the 2 groups (F = 2.171, 26.951, P < 0.01). After gastric cancer MKN-45 cells being treated for 0.5, 2 and 4 hours in CO_2 pneumoperitoneum with a pressure of 15 mm Hg, the expression of FAK Tyr397 was 3.41±0.44, 4.12±0.56 and 5.24±0.41 respectively, which is also significantly different (F =116.119, P < 0.01). The expression of FAK Tyr397 was back to 0.72±0.16 1 hour after the release of CO_2. Conclusions CO_2 pneumoperitoneum with different pressures can not promote the expression of FAK in gastric cancer MKN-45 cells which had been cultured for 4 hours, but can activate FAK through promoting its phosphorylation. The degree of FAK phosphorylation increases with pressure and time, and the activity of FAK decreases to pretreatment level rapidly once pressure is released.

Objective To investigate the feasibility,method and result of laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Methods Clinical data of 63 cases of gastric cancer treated with laparoseopic total gastrectomy were analyzed retrospectively. Results In this study,52 cases underwent laparoseopic radical total gastrectomy and 5 cases did laparoseopic palliative total gastrectomy.The procedure Was hand assisted in tlle first 45 cases for fashoning esophagojejunostomy through a small incision.In six cases the procedure was converted to open surgery.The operative time was(312±35)min,the blood loss was(190±50)ml,the number of lymph nodes dissected Was(32±7).It began to pass flatus(4.0±1.2)days postoperatively.It was(4.5±1.5)days to start oral liquids.Patients were up and about on(4.0±1.5)days postoperatively. Minor postoperative complications occurred in 5 cases. Conclusion Laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer is safe,feasible,less traumatic and of fast postoperative recovery.

Objective To explore the efficacy of laparoscopy-assisted radical gastrectomy for patients with gastric cancer. Methods The clinical data of 726 patients who received laparoscopy-assisted radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer at the Southwest Hospital from January 2004 to April 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The operation time, operative blood loss, number of lymph nodes dissected, length of hospital stay and mobidity were evaluated using t test or chi-square test. The survival of the patients were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method.Results Laparoscopy-assisted radical gastrectomy was successfully carried out on 707 patients, and 19 patients were converted to open surgery. The mean operation time, operative blood loss, number of lymph nodes dissected were (179 ±52)minutes, (87 ±51) ml and 33 ± 14, respectively. The average distances of proximal and distal resection margin to the tumors were (6.3 ± 1.9)cm and (5.6 ± 1.7)cm, respectively. The average time to flatus, time to fluid diet and length of hospital stay were (2.9 ± 1.4) days, (3.1 ± 1.7) days and (7.9 ± 3.5) days,respectively. The peri- and postoperative mobidities were 2.2% (16/726) and 4.0% (29/726), respectively. A total of 685 patients were followed up for 6-82 months (mean, 48.3 months), and the 5-year survival rate was 58.4%. Conclusions Laparoscopy-assisted radical gastrectomy is a feasible procedure with minimal trauma, low morbidity and quick recovery of patients.

The operation path, lymph node dissection and reconstruction of the alimentary tract are the three most technical difficulties of laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy. The essential difference between laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy and open gastrectomy is the operation path. Based on our clinical experience, we investigated reasonable paths for laparoscopyassisted gastrectomy. Patients were placed in a supine position with their legs apart, and the operator stood on the left side of the patient. Five trocars were placed in the abdominal wall in a curved line. The operation was carried out in the order of greater gastric curvature, the lower region of the pylorus and antrum,the upper region of the pancreas, omentum minus, cardia, and arcuate diaphragm. From May 2004 to April 2010, we successfully carried out 761 laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomies with satisfactory outcomes.