title: Standard of practice on laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery in Korea and Japan: experts' survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the laparoscopic approach has become a popular gastric cancer treatment in Korea and Japan, the need for sharing current practices of surgeons who are experienced in laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery has increased.
  
  
  METHODS
  We sent a questionnaire on laparoscopic instruments, image documentation, preoperative evaluation, surgical indication, operative methods, and postoperative management to laparoscopic experts in Korea and Japan, and 24 (14 from Korea and 10 from Japan) responded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endoscopic ultrasound and preoperative endoscopy-guided clipping are routinely employed, respectively, by 14 (58%) and 20 (83%) of the surgeons. Surgeons perform laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) based on varying indications. Five surgeons (21%) performed LADG only for cases of stage T1 cancer, 15 (63%) performed LADG on patients with less than T2 lesions, and 4 (17%) performed LADG on patients with less than T3 lesions. With regard to postoperative anastomosis, 18 surgeons (75%) preferred extracorporeal anastomosis and 6 (25%) preferred intracorporeal anastomosis. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 6.5 days in Korea and 10.1 days in Japan (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey can help to inform the current practice of laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery in Korea and Japan, where laparoscopic surgery is frequently performed.
authors: Department of Surgery and Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
authors: H J
authors: HJ
authors: Lee
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Shiraishi
authors: H H
authors: HH
authors: Kim
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Hiki
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Uyama
authors: S H
authors: SH
authors: Choi
authors: H K
authors: HK
authors: Yang
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Kitano
mesh_terms: D004282:Documentation; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000193:education / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D056910:Republic of Korea; D059039:Standard of Care; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires