In totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) for gastric cancer, accurately determining the proximal resection line may be difficult. This is because identifying the lesion intracorporeally is impossible, due to the lack of tactile sense, and, in addition, unlike the intestine, the most proximal site of the lesion is often different from the main site due to the distorted shape of the stomach. The aim of this study was to introduce a novel method of preoperative endoscopic marking with India ink, taking into consideration the morphological characteristics of the stomach. Between July, 2013 and April, 2016, 20 patients who underwent TLDG were enrolled in this study. Within the 3 days preceding the operation, after identifying the most proximal site of the lesion on the overlooking image of an endoscope, India ink was injected into the spot on the oral side of this site. The stomach was transected along the proximal border of the marked area. In all cases, the marked sites were localized and clearly identified during the operation, and the proximal resection margins were found to be negative on postoperative pathological examination. The mean length of the proximal margin was 46.0±14.0 mm. In conclusion, this preoperative endoscopic marking method may be useful in TLDG for gastric cancer.
Keywords: India ink; gastric cancer; preoperative endoscopic marking; totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.