Hand-assisted laparoscopic distal gastrectomhy for the treatment of early gastric cancer

The Aim of this study is to introduce our new hand-assisted laparoscopic su rgery (HALS) techniques for distal gastrectomy and clarify its advantages c ompare to our conventional laparoscopy assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG). From September 1996 to January 2000, we performed distal gastrectomy using HALS techniques in 17 cases of early gastric cancer and LADG in 15 cases of early gastric cancer. The mean operating time was 245 min. in HALS (17 cas es) while 256 min. in LADG (15 cases). There were no significant difference s in mean blood loss, mean resumption of the flatus, mean resumption of the oral feeding, mean resumption of the ambulation, mean postoperative hospit al stay, postoperative complications, and postoperative pain between HALS a nd LADG. This novel technique was appeared to be more safe and easy than LA DG, and to show the same therapeutic effect as LADG with respect to resecta bility and lymph node dissection.