LAPAROSCOPIC-ASSISTED VAGOTOMY AND DISTAL GASTRECTOMY

This is a report of the techniques used on and outcome for three patie nts who underwent laparoscopic-assisted vagotomy and distal gastrectom y for complicated peptic ulcer disease. The first patient had a Billro th I anastomosis in 2 h 42 min with an estimated blood loss of 200 ml. Oral fluids were started on day 3 and the diet progressed to a soft f ood by day 5. The patient was discharged 11 days after his gastrectomy following a transurethal prostatic resection on day 6. The second pat ient had a Billroth II anastomosis. The operation was completed in 4 h 40 min with an estimated blood loss of 350 ml. Oral fluids were comme nced on the 1st postoperative day and the patient was tolerating a sof t diet by day 4. The patient was discharged 5 days after his gastrecto my. The third patient had a Billroth I anastomosis with an estimated b lood loss of less than 150 ml. The surgery took 2 h 35 min; the patien t was tolerating oral fluids on the first postoperative day and was di scharged on the 4th postoperative day on soft diet. Laparoscopic-assis ted vagotomy and gastrectomy has the advantages of a minimal-access pr ocedure without the risks of an intracorporeal anastomosis.