LAPAROSCOPIC BILLROTH-I AND BILLROTH-II OPERATION

From October 1993 to August 1994 four distal stomach resections (three Billroth-ll reconstructions and one Billroth-l reconstruction) were p erformed laparoscopically. The first patient, who was 83 years old, pr esented with a stenosing bleeding, pre-pyloric, malignant non-Hodgkin- lymphoma. The second patient, who was 84 years old, presented with an ulcerated, non-malignant leiomyoblastoma of the antrum. Due to the his tological type of the tumours a radical lymphadenectomy was not perfor med. The other two patients presented with a persisting pre-pyloric ul cer combined with an almost complete stenosis of the pylorus. All oper ations followed the principles of conventional open surgery. Anastomos es were stapled intracorporally. The specimen was removed in a lap sac through a 3.5 cm infra-umbilical incision. Intra-abdominal complicati ons did not occur. However, the first patient (with non-Hodgkin-lympho ma) died on the 21st post-operative day from cardio-pulmonary failure. The other three patients were discharged from hospital after an uneve ntful recovery.