Application value of Overlap guiding tube in Overlap esophagojejunostomy of laparoscopic total gastrectomy

Objective To investigate the application value of Overlap guiding tube (OGT) in Overlap esophagojejunostomy of laparoscopic total gastrectomy. Methods The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 5 patients with gastric cancer who were admitted to Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University from June to July in 2021 were collected. There were 3 males and 2 females, aged from 48 to 61 years, with a median age of 54 years. Patients underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy combined with OGT-assisted Overlap esophagojejunostomy. Observation indicators: (1) surgical situations; (2) postoperative situations; (3) follow-up. Follow-up was conducted by outpatient examination and telephone interview to detect postoperative anastomotic stenosis and esophageal reflux up to September 2021. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean±SD, and measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(IQR) or M(range). Count data were represented as absolute numbers. Results (1) Surgical situations: 5 patients underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy combined with OGT-assisted Overlap esophagojejunostomy and D2 lymph node dissection successfully, achieving R0 resection. There was no combined organ resection, intraoperative conversion to laparotomy or combined thoracotomy. There was no intraoperative conversion to other esophagojejunostomy method either. The tumor diameter, length of surgical incision, the number of lymph nodes dissected, time of esophagojejunal anastomosis, time of digestive reconstruction, operation time, volume of intraoperative blood loss of 5 patients were 3.0(2.8)cm, 5.0(2.0)cm, 47.0(21.0), 21.0(5.0)minutes, 62.0(23.0)minutes, 295.0(75.0)minutes, and 50.0(60.0)mL, respectively. The anvil fork of linear stapler was successfully inserted into esophageal lumen by once operation in 4 cases of 5 patients and by twice operation in 1 case to complete the esophagojejunostomy. (2) Postoperative situations: the time to first out-of-bed activities, time to postoperative first anal flatus, time to postoperative initial liquid diet intake, time to postoperative initial semi-liquid diet intake, time to abdominal drainage tube removal, duration of postoperative hospital stay of 5 patients were 2.0(1.0)days, 3.0(2.0)days, 4.0(3.0)days, 6.0(3.0)days, 7.0(4.0)days, and 9.0(6.0)days, respectively. Results of postoperative pathological examination of 5 patients showed gastric adenocar-cinoma in all the 5 patients, with the TNM staging as stage pT2 ? 4aN0M0. The esophageal surgical margin was negative in all cases, and the length of proximal margin from esophagus was 5.0(4.0)cm. None of the 5 patients developed anastomotic leakage, anastomotic bleeding or anastomotic stenosis. Two cases with mild pneumonia (Clavien-Dindo grade Ⅱ) were cured by conservative treatment such as antiinfection and expectoration promotion. There was no unplanned secondary surgery or perioperative death occurred to the 5 patients. (3) Follow-up: 5 patients were followed up for 3 months. None of the 5 patients developed anastomotic stenosis or esophageal reflux during the follow-up. Conclusion OGT-assisted Overlap esophagojejunostomy of laparoscopic total gas-trectomy is safe and feasible, with good short-term effects.