Objective To investigate the short‑term efficacy of left‑sided three‑port total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TPTLDG).

Methods The prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. The 68 patients undergoing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from March 2022 to March 2023 were collected. All patients were randomly assigned to the TPTLDG group with a double number, and to the five‑port laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (FPLDG) group with a single number, respectively. Observation indicators: (1) grouping situations of the enrolled patients; (2) comparison of perioperative condition; (3) comparison of complications during postoperative 30 days; (4) comparison of pathological examination. Measure⁃ment data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the independent sample t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(Q₁,Q₃), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi‑square test or continuous correction chi‑square test. Comparison of ordinal data was analyzed using the non‐parameter rank sum test.

Results (1) Grouping situations of the enrolled patients. A total of 59 patients of gastric cancer were selected for eligibility. There were 40 males and 19 females, aged 59.00(52.00, 67.00)years. The gender (male, female), age, body mass index (BMI), Caprini score (≤2, ≥3), nutritional risk screening 2002 (<3, ≥3), Eastern Coopera-tive Oncology Group performance status (0, 1), preoperative hypersensitive C‑reactive protein, preoperative IL‑6, preoperative white blood cell count, preoperative albumin were 19, 11, 59.00(51.25,65.25)years, 21.92(20.93,22.73)kg/m², 7, 23, 24, 6, 18, 12, 0.78(0.78,1.46)mg/L, 3.07(1.50,10.56)μg/L, 6.07(4.94,7.19)×10⁹/L, 44.30(40.83, 46.15) g/L in the 30 patients of TPTLDG group, versus 21, 8, 57.00(51.00, 67.00)years, 21.90(20.95, 23.35)kg/m², 11, 18, 24, 5, 17, 12, 1.13(0.78,11.40)mg/L, 5.56(1.88,15.12)μg/L, 5.54(4.71,6.70)×10⁹/L, 43.55(40.25,44.88)g/L in the 29 patients of FPLDG group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups (χ²=0.557, Z=-0.444, -0.805, χ²=1.482, 0.074, 0.012, Z=-1.259, -1.262, -0.819, -1.199, P>0.05), confounding bias ensured comparability between the two groups. (2) Comparison of perioperative condition. The length of incision, time to removing drainage tube, IL‑6 at postoperative day 3, cost of hospital stay were 6.65(6.48,6.93)cm, 3.00(0,3.00)days, 29.18 (13.67, 43.53)μg/L, 84 164.15(73 084.72, 96 782.14)yuan in the TPTLDG group, versus 8.00(7.50,8.35)cm, 3.00(3.00,4.00)days, 47.56(21.31,85.79)μg/L, 92 120.43(87 069.33, 113 089.74)yuan in the FPLDG group, showing significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups (Z=-11.065, -2.141, -2.940, -2.220, P<0.05). (3) Comparison of complications during postoperative 30 days. The incidence rate of complications during postoperative 30 days was 30.00%(9/30) and 24.14%(7/29) in the TPTLDG group and FPLDG group, respectively, showing no significant difference between the two groups (χ²=0.256, P>0.05). (4) Comparison of pathological examination. Cases with pathological N staging as 0 stage, 1 stage, 2 stage, 3 stage were 22, 2, 4, 2 in the TPTLDG group, versus 13, 7, 4, 5 in the FPLDG group, showing a significant difference between the two groups (Z=-2.021, P<0.05).

Conclusion TPTLDG is safe and feasible for gastric cancer, with a good short-term efficacy.