Oncological safety of use of ultrasonic activated shears in gastric cancer surgery: Long-term results of randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Ultrasonically activated shears (UAS) have been applied in open gastric surgeries with no or little evidence. It was previously reported about the surgical outcome and effectiveness of UAS based on a randomized controlled trial of 256 patients with gastric cancer. We aimed to clarify the long-term oncological safety of the use of UAS in the aspect of overall survival and recurrence.

METHODS:

Gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection were enrolled and randomly assigned to either the conventional surgery group (n=125) or the UAS group (n=128). Survival, recurrence and long-term postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. The median follow-up period was 56 months.

RESULTS:

Gastric cancer-related death was higher in patients of the UAS group compared with the conventional group (P=0.019). Overall survival rates stratified by stage were not significantly different between the two groups (P=0.170). Disease-free survival rates stratified by stage and recurrence-free survival rates of gastric cancer were similar between the conventional group and the UAS group (P=0.313 and 0.199, respectively). The postoperative complication rate was not significantly different between the groups (P=1.000).

CONCLUSIONS:

It is suggested that the use of UAS in gastrectomy for gastric cancer showed oncologically acceptable safety compared with conventional electric instruments even in long-term period.

• Authors: Su Mi Kim, Jae-Moon Bae, Min-Gew Choi, Jun Ho Lee, Tae Sung Sohn, Sung Kim
• Journal: Chinese journal of cancer research = Chung-kuo yen cheng yen chiu (Chin J Cancer Res) Vol. 30 Issue 5 Pg. 492-499 (Oct 2018) ISSN: 1000-9604 [Print] China
• PMID: 30510360 (Publication Type: Journal Article)