title: [Value of radical dissection with vagus nerve preservation for proximal gastric cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the feasibility and influence of vagus nerve preservation in radical operation for proximal gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients with early or T2 cardia cancer from May 2007 to May 2009 were enrolled and randomized into two groups, i.e. vagus nerve preservation group(n=16) and control group(n=16). Two groups were compared with regard to operative time, anastomotic fistula, digestive discomforts, body weight, survival rate, findings on gastroscope and abdominal ultrasonography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in operative time (2.8 vs. 2.5 h), postoperative complications rate (25.0% vs. 31.3%). No recurrence or mortality was observed after one-year follow-up. However, patients who underwent vagus nerve preservation had less postprandial discomforts(3 vs. 12 cases), bile reflux(3 vs. 10 cases), atrophic gastritis(1 vs. 9 cases), gallstones(1 vs. 8 cases), body mass index, and diarrhea(P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For patients with early gastric cancer, preservation of the vagus nerve during radical gastrectomy results in less complications and does not compromise patient survival.
authors.affiliation: Center of General Surgery, The Second Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun 130041, China.
authors.forename: Peng-da
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Jia-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xue-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002299:Cardia; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000601:surgery*