title: [Advantage of perisplenic hilar lymph node dissection by laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (D2) over conventional open total gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the number of harvested perisplenic hilar lymph nodes by laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) and conventional open total gastrectomy (OTG) for advanced upper and middle gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred twelve patients with advanced gastric cancer treated in a single institution between Sept 2008 and Jan 2011 were included in this study. They were divided into two groups: the LATG group and OTG (D2) group. All the surgical operations were performed by one surgeon or under his supervision. The lymph node clearance outcomes of the patients treated by those two surgical procedures were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The harvested lymph node numbers of the two groups were (29.57 ± 9.62) and (29.38 ± 11.22) respectively, statistically with no significant difference (P = 0.875). The numbers of lymph node dissected around the splenic area in the LATG group and OTG group (Section 10, 11 group) were (2.01 ± 1.34) and (1.33 ± 1.11), respectively, indicating a significant difference (P = 0.000). The numbers of lymph nodes dissected around the celiac region (Section 7, 8, 9, 11p and 12a(2) group) were (7.90 ± 3.41) and (7.22 ± 2.65), respectively, with a non-significant difference (P = 0.050). There were also no significant differences while comparing with the numbers of lymph nodes dissected in the cardiac area (group 1, 2), pyloric region (5, 6 group) and the greater and lesser omentum area (group 3 and 4) between the two groups (P = 0.605, P = 0.248, P = 0.262).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term results of this study indicate that laparoscopy-assisted total gastrectomy (D2) is better than conventional open surgery in perisplenic hilar lymph node dissection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Abdominal Surgery, Fujian Provincial Tumor Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wei-dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lu-chuan
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chang-hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.forename: Min-gang
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ying
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013154:Spleen; D013270:Stomach; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*