Objective: To study the feasibility and influence of vagus nerve preservation in radical operation for proximal gastric cancer.
Methods: Thirty-two patients with early or T2 cardia cancer from May 2007 to May 2009 were enrolled and randomized into two groups, i.e. vagus nerve preservation group(n=16) and control group(n=16). Two groups were compared with regard to operative time, anastomotic fistula, digestive discomforts, body weight, survival rate, findings on gastroscope and abdominal ultrasonography.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in operative time (2.8 vs. 2.5 h), postoperative complications rate (25.0% vs. 31.3%). No recurrence or mortality was observed after one-year follow-up. However, patients who underwent vagus nerve preservation had less postprandial discomforts(3 vs. 12 cases), bile reflux(3 vs. 10 cases), atrophic gastritis(1 vs. 9 cases), gallstones(1 vs. 8 cases), body mass index, and diarrhea(P<0.05).
Conclusion: For patients with early gastric cancer, preservation of the vagus nerve during radical gastrectomy results in less complications and does not compromise patient survival.