title: Outcomes of Critical Pathway in Laparoscopic and Open Surgical Treatments for Gastric Cancer Patients: Patients Selection for Fast-Track Program through Retrospective Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical factors affecting on the cure rate by invasive and open surgery for gastric cancer and to establish a subgroup of patients who can be applied by the early recovery after surgery program through this retrospective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study, we analyzed 425 patients who underwent gastric cancer surgery between January 2011 and December 2011 and were managed with conventional clinical therapies. This clinical algorithm was made when the patient was in minimally invasive surgery group and discharged from hospital one day faster than them in open surgery group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The completion rate of the clinical pathway was 62.4%. Despite the different applications of clinical pathway, completion rate in minimally invasive surgery group was significantly higher than that of open group (P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, the surgical procedure of minimally invasive surgery (odds ratio=4.281) was the most predictable factor to complete clinical pathway. Additionally, younger patients (odds ratio=1.933) who underwent distal gastrectomy (odds ratio=1.999) without combined resection (odds ratio=3.069) were predicted to accomplish the clinical pathway without any modifications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that high efficacy of the clinical pathway for gastric cancer surgery was expected to selected patients through retrospective analysis (expected completion rate=85.4%). In addition, these patients would become enrolled criteria for early recovery program in gastric cancer surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.forename: Hoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hur
authors.forename: Cheul Su
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: Sang-Uk
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Yong Kwan
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Cho
keywords: Critical pathways; Gastrectomy; Minimally invasive; Stomach neoplasms