Short- and long-term outcomes after conversion of laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a single-center study.

PURPOSE: Conversion of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer has been fully studied. However, no study has investigated conversion of laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. We evaluated the effect of conversion to open total gastrectomy on short- and long-term outcomes among patients who underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer and identified factors predictive of survival.

METHODS: A prospective database of consecutive laparoscopic total gastrectomies for gastric cancer was reviewed. Patients who required conversion (converted group) were compared with those who had completed laparoscopic total gastrectomy (completed group). Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare and analyze survival. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of poor survival.

RESULTS: The conversion rate was 17.4%, and the most common reason for conversion was a locally advanced tumor. Conversion was associated with significantly longer operative time and greater blood loss. No differences were observed in terms of postoperative morbidity or mortality between the converted and completed patients. The converted group had significantly worse 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Univariate analysis showed that conversion to open total gastrectomy, pathological (p) T4 disease, and pathological N2-N3 disease were significant risk factors for OS and DFS. In multivariate analysis, pT4 cancer was the only independent predictor of DFS and OS.

CONCLUSION: Conversion to open total gastrectomy per se was not associated with worse short-term outcomes or worse long-term survival.