title: Fixation of the greater omentum for prevention of delayed gastric emptying after left-sided hepatectomy: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We performed a randomized trial to evaluate whether fixation of the greater omentum to the peritoneum prevents delayed gastric emptying and other complications after left-sided hepatectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients undergoing left lateral segmentectomy or left hepatectomy were randomly assigned to a fixation group (n=24) and a non-fixation group (n=25). In the fixation group, the greater omentum was sutured to the peritoneum to prevent the stomach from contacting the cut surface of the liver.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Delayed gastric emptying developed in 4 of the patients in the non-fixation group (16%) versus none of the patients in the fixation group. According to univariate analysis, fixation significantly lowered the risk of delayed gastric emptying (p<0.05). The overall morbidity was higher in the non-fixation group (20.0%) than in the fixation patients (8.3%) without significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fixation of the greater omentum to the peritoneum decreased the occurrence of delayed gastric emptying following left-sided hepatectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery 1, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. hiroshiy@nms.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mamada
authors.forename: Nobuhiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taniai
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mizuguchi
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Tsubasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Koho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akimaru
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tajiri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009852:Omentum; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors