title: Predictive factors for surgical complications of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some studies have found high incidences of intraoperative and postoperative complications for patients with gastric cancer. To determine the predictive factors for the surgical complications of laparoscopic gastric surgery, surgical outcomes were evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between April 2002 and December 2007, 152 patients with preoperatively diagnosed early gastric cancer who underwent laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) were enrolled. Visceral (VFA) and subcutaneous fat areas (SFA) were assessed by Fat Scan software. The predictive factors for surgical complications of LADG were evaluated by univariate and logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 152 patients, conversion to open surgery due to uncontrollable bleeding was observed in nine male patients, and postoperative complications were detected in seven male and one female patient (four anastomotic leakage, two intraabdominal abscess, one pancreatic fistula, and one lymphorrhea). High body mass index (BMI) and high VFA independently predicted conversion to open surgery and postoperative complications. VFA was significantly higher, operation time was longer, blood loss was greater, and SFA was lower in male than in female patients, whereas no significant difference was observed in BMI between male and female patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High BMI and high VFA can predict technical difficulties during laparoscopic gastric surgery and postoperative complications. Particularly, LADG should be performed cautiously to prevent surgical complications for male patients with high VFA. Predictive impact of VFA should be further determined in a larger set of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Gastroenterological Center, Yokohama City University, 4-57, Urafune-cho, Minami-ku, Yokohama, 232-0024, Japan. s0714@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Chikara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kunisaki
authors.forename: Hirochika
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Makino
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takagawa
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Mayumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawamata
authors.forename: Amane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Hidetaka A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Hirotoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shimada
mesh_terms: D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D010185:Pancreatic Fistula / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012984:Software; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed