Objective To compare the short-term efficacy of Billroth Ⅱ+Braun anasto-mosis versus Roux-en-Y anastomosis in totally three-dimensional (3D) laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.

Methods The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 140 patients with gastric cancer who were admitted to the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2016 to January 2020 were collected. There were 105 males and 35 females, aged from 23 to 84 years, with a median age of 55 years. Of the 140 patients, 54 patients undergoing totally 3D laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with Billroth Ⅱ+Braun anastomosis were allocated into Billroth Ⅱ+Braun group, and 86 patients undergoing totally 3D laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y anastomosis were allocated into Roux-en-Y group, respectively. Observation indicators: (1) surgical situations; (2) postoperative situations; (3) follow-up. Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was conducted to detect remnant gastritis and its severity, bile reflux, reflux esophagitis in the postoperative 3 months up to April 2020. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the t test. Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results (1) Surgical situations: 140 patients underwent totally 3D laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. The operation time, cases with volume of intraoperative blood loss <50 mL, 50 to 200 mL or >200 mL, the number of lymph node dissected were (233±39)minutes,15, 35, 4, 30±13 for the Billroth Ⅱ +Braun group , respectively, versus (240±52)minutes,25, 51, 10, 27±10 for the Roux-en-Y group, showing no significant difference between the two groups (t=0.856, χ²=0.774, t=1.518, P>0.05). (2) Postoperative situations: cases with drainage tube, time to postoperative first flatus, cases with postoperative grade Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ complications, cases with postoperative complications, cases with postoperative severe complications, duration of postoperative hospital stay, surgery cost and total hospitalization cost of the Billroth Ⅱ+Braun group were 38, (3.5±0.8)days,4, 1, 0, 0, 5, 1, (9.0±5.0)days, (3.8±1.2)×10⁴ yuan and (9.7±2.1)×10⁴ yuan, respectively. The above indicators of the Roux-en-Y group were 59, (3.7±1.0)days, 9, 1, 0, 1, 11, 2, (9.0±4.0)days, (4.3±1.0)×10⁴ yuan and (9.2±2.1)×10⁴ yuan, respectively. There was a significant difference in the surgery cost between the two groups (t=2.453, P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in cases with drainage tube, time to postoperative first flatus, cases with postoperative grade Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ, Ⅴ complications, cases with postoperative complications, duration of postoperative hospital stay or total hospitalization cost between the two groups (χ²=0.049, t=‒1.339, Z=0.000, χ²=0.409, t=0.197, 1.383, P>0.05). There was also no significant difference in cases with postoperative severe complications between the two groups (P>0.05).(3) Follow-up: 134 of 140 patients received the follow-up, including 52 cases in the Billroth Ⅱ+Braun group and 82 cases in the Roux-en-Y group. Results of follow-up within postoperative 3 months showed that the incidence rates of remnant gastritis, bile reflux, reflux esophagitis were 61.5%(32/52), 38.5%(20/52), 26.9%(14/52) for the Billroth Ⅱ+Braun group, respectively, versus 41.5%(34/82), 22.0%(18/82), 12.2%(10/82) for the Roux-en-Y group, showing significant differences between the two groups (χ²=5.131, 4.270, 4.695, P<0.05). Cases with grade 0,Ⅰ,Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ residual food were 42, 3, 5, 2,0 for the Billroth Ⅱ+Braun group, versus 67, 9, 1, 5,0 for the Roux-en-Y group, showing no significant difference between the two groups (Z=‒0.156, P>0.05). Cases with minimal lesion, grade A, grade B gastritis (severity of gastritis) were 6, 5, 3 for the Billroth Ⅱ+Braun group, versus 8, 2, 0 for the Roux-en-Y group, showing no significant difference between the two groups (Z=‒1.468, P>0.05).

Conclusions It is safe and feasible to operate Billroth Ⅱ+Braun or Roux-en-Y anastomosis in totally 3D laparoscopic distal gastrectomy. Billroth Ⅱ+Braun anastomosis can reduce the surgical cost. Roux-en-Y anastomosis has advantages in reducing the incidence of reflux esophagitis, bile reflux and reflux gastritis.