Absence of port-site metastases following staging laparoscopy for gastric carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
port-site metastases (PSM) have been reported following oncological laparoscopic surgery. However, their frequency after laparoscopic examination in gastric cancer has not been well established.


METHODS
prospective follow-up of 41 patients having had a staging laparoscopy and a follow-up longer than 12 months. Mean age was 65 years (29-89). After staging, an open gastrectomy was performed in 33 cases. Mean follow-up was 21.4 (12-66) months. PSM was defined as a node in the former port-site wound with adenocarcinoma histology at biopsy.


RESULTS
no patient showed clinical signs of PSM or port-site recurrence, even in advanced stages. We had no morbidity or postoperative mortality attributable to laparoscopic manoeuvres, and no need for laparotomy in cases without a gastrectomy indication.


CONCLUSIONS
our results suggest that staging laparoscopy is a safe procedure in gastric carcinoma, as it is not associated with PSM after even considerable follow-up, and has a very low complication rate.
Deogracias
M L
ML
General and Gastrointestinal Unit II, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain. lopezdeogracias@mixmail.com
Rodríguez-Sanjuán
J C
JC
de la Torre
F
F
García
R A
RA
Trugeda
M S
MS
Domínguez
A
A
Gómez-Fleitas
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate