title: Meta-analysis of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection for gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess the value of laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy with D2 dissection for treatment of gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected studies that have compared laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) and open distal gastrectomy (ODG) with D2 dissection for treatment of gastric cancer in the past 15 years. Data of interest for LADG and ODG were subjected to meta-analysis using a fixed-effect and random-effect model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We analyzed 8 studies that included 1,065 patients. There were significant differences in operating time, blood loss, time to first flatus and first eating, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complications between the LADG and ODG groups. Compared with the ODG group, blood loss and complications in the LADG group decreased, time to recovery of gastrointestinal function and hospitalization period were shorter, but operating time was longer. There were no significant differences in the number of harvested lymph nodes, mortality, and rate of recurrence between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with ODG, LADG with D2 dissection has the advantages of minimal invasion, faster recovery, and fewer complications, and it can achieve the same degree of radicality and short-term prognosis as ODG. The drawbacks are that the operating time is slightly longer and long-term prognosis is not clear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Guo-Qing
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: He-Li
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D004435:Eating; D005414:Flatulence; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors