title: Learning curve of laparoscopy spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection for advanced upper gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the learning curve of laparoscopy spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection for advanced upper gastric cancer (AUGC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of clinical data of 100 cases of spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection for AUGC, completed by the same group of physicians with extensive laparoscopic gastric cancer surgical experience. The patients were divided into five groups (A, B, C, D and E) in accordance with their surgical priorities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The five groups of patients were comparable in age, gender, body mass index, spleen lobe artery count, histological type and invasion department. The surgical time for Group A and Group B was longer than Group C, Group D and Group E. The amount of bleeding for Group A and Group B was significantly larger than Group C, Group D and Group E. Laparotomy rate, the number of splenic hilar lymph node dissection, incidence of complications, recovery time of bowel function, days for postoperative hospital stay were not statistically different among the five groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the basis of skilled surgical techniques for laparoscopic gastric cancer, the learning curve for laparoscopy spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymph node dissection for upper advanced gastric cancer was roughly 40 cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastric Surgery, Affiliated Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Chang-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chao-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jia-Bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-Xian
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D059032:Learning Curve; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000601:surgery*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*