Objective To investigate the application value of self-pulling and latter transection (SPLT) technique in double anti-reflux double-tract reconstruction of totally laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy.

Methods The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopatholo-gical data of 103 patients with Siewert type Ⅱ adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction in clinical stage Ⅰ-Ⅱ who were admitted to Shanxi Cancer Hospital from January 2018 to January 2020 were collected. There were 65 males and 38 females, aged from 45 to 79 years, with a median age of 59 years. Of 103 patients, 49 cases undergoing totally laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with double-tract reconstruction of SPLT were assigned into the SPLT group, 54 cases undergoing totally laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy with conventional double-tract reconstruction were assigned into the traditional group. Observation indicators: (1) intraoperative situations; (2) postoperative situations; (3) follow-up. Follow-up was conducted by outpatient examination and telephone inter-view to detect postoperative reflux esophagitis of patients up to December 2021. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and the t test was used for comparison between groups. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range) or M(Q₁,Q₃), and the Wilcoxon test was used for comparison between groups. Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was performed using the chi-square test. Comparison of ordinal data was analyzed using the non-parameter rank sum test.

Results (1) Intraoperative situations: the operation time, digestive tract reconstruction time, volume of intraoperative blood loss, the number of inferior mediastinal lymph nodes dissected, cases with auxiliary incisions for the SPLT group were (261±48)minutes, (26±4)minutes, (114±42)mL, 8.0(6.5,9.5), 1, respectively. The above indicators were (244±42)minutes, (30±6)minutes, (118±46)mL, 5.5(4.0,8.0), 9 for the traditional group, respectively. There were significant differences in the digestive tract reconstruction time, the number of inferior mediastinal lymph nodes dissected and cases with auxiliary incisions between the two groups (t=-3.34, Z=-4.05, χ²=4.72, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the operation time or volume of intraoperative blood loss between the two groups (t=1.87, -0.47, P>0.05). (2) Postoperative situations: duration of postopera-tive hospital stay and cases with postoperative complications were (11.5±2.7)days and 4 for the SPLT group, versus (12.5±4.3)days and 9 for the traditional group, showing no significant difference between the two groups (t=-1.47, χ²=1.68, P>0.05). There were 13 of 103 patients with postopera-tive complications, including 5 cases of left pleural effusion, 4 cases of anastomotic leakage, 2 cases of mild pneumonia, 1 case of incision infection, 1 case of chylous leakage. Four patients had anasto-motic leakage at the esophagojejunostomy, the abdominal esophagus of whom was invaded by more than 1 cm. During the operation, mediastinal drainage tubes were placed through the abdominal wall. The 4 patients were cured after enteral and parenteral nutrition support and adequate drainage, and the remaining patients with complications were cured after symptomatic treatment. (3) Follow-up: of 49 patients in the SPLT group, 43 cases were followed up for (18±4)months. During the follow-up, 1 case showed reflux esophagitis by gastroscopy, with the incidence of 2.33%(1/43). Of 54 patients in the traditional group, 53 cases were followed up for (17±4)months. During the follow-up, 4 cases showed reflux esophagitis by gastroscopy, with the incidence of 7.55%(4/53). There was no significant difference in the incidence of reflux esophagitis between the two groups (χ²=0.47, P>0.05).

Conclusions SPLT technology is feasible for double anti-reflux double-tract reconstruction of proximal gastrectomy. Compared with traditional double-tract reconstruction of totally laparos-copic proximal gastrectomy, SPLT technology can reduce the auxiliary incisions, increase the number of lower mediastinal lymph nodes dissected, and shorten the digestive tract reconstruction time.