title: Significance of intraoperative endoscopy in total gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anastomotic impairment can be a major cause of surgical complications in gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intraoperative endoscopy (IOE) in esophagojejunal anastomosis for detection of anastomotic impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-eight patients who underwent total gastrectomy were evaluated for the integrity of the esophagojejunostomy using IOE at completion of mechanical esophagojejunal anastomosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall postoperative anastomotic leakage (PAL) rate was 4.2% (n = 2/48). Both patients who developed PAL had abnormal findings such as mucosal defect in the esophageal mucosa or incomplete anastomotic stapling. Also, IOE revealed inadvertent anastomotic failure in three patients: two jejunal and one esophageal occlusion. There were no complications due to IOE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IOE is safe and may easily provide significant information that can minimize PAL by detecting anastomotic failure on esophagojejunal anastomosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishi-Shinbashi Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8471, Japan. ka2nissy@aol.com
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanaga
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kashiwagi
authors.forename: Nobuyoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hanyuu
authors.forename: Shuuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwabuchi
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D013270:Stomach / Q000601:surgery; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D017792:Surgical Stapling