title: Subtotal gastrectomy for cancer located in the greater curvature of the middle stomach with prevention of the left gastric artery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A novel distal subtotal gastrectomy was performed in 5 patients with macroscopically node-positive gastric cancer located in the greater curvature of the middle stomach. In these patients, total gastrectomy or standard distal subtotal gastrectomy has been typically performed. In these typical gastrectomies, the hepatic and the coeliac branches of the vagi are removed en bloc with the left gastric artery and the whole of the lesser omentum because the lymphatics along the left gastric artery are in the lower stream-regions of lymph flow from the cancer and metastases exist potentially.
  
  
  METHODS
  During novel distal subtotal gastrectomy the activated carbon method confirmed that the lymphatics along the ascending branch of the left gastric artery were not in the lower stream-region of lymph flow from the cancer. Then, we preserved the hepatic and coeliac branches of the vagi as well as the ascending branch of the left gastric artery and the upper part of the lesser omentum. The other arteries feeding the stomach were removed with the surrounding lymphatics. In novel distal subtotal gastrectomy the remnant stomach was fed only by the ascending branch of the left gastric artery, while in standard distal subtotal gastrectomy the remnant stomach was fed by the short gastric arteries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although further examinations are necessary, novel distal subtotal gastrectomy may have superior merit such as good function of gallbladder because of the preservation of the vagal nerve system, compared with total gastrectomy or standard distal subtotal gastrectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kyoto, Japan. hagiwara@koto.kpu-m.a.c.jp
authors.forename: Akeo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imanishi
authors.forename: Chouhei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sakakura
authors.forename: Eigo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Otsuji
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Hirosumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoi
authors.forename: Hisakazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamagishi
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries / Q000601:surgery; D002606:Charcoal; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000502:physiology; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013270:Stomach / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D002606:Charcoal