Total gastrectomy patients experience slower recovery and greater symptom burden compared to other types of gastrectomy.

• Recovery rates for total gastrectomy were 63% at one month and only 75% by six months, compared to 79% and 96% for other procedures.
• Open total gastrectomy had a significantly lower odds ratio for recovery (0.28) compared to robotic distal gastrectomy.

Surgeons should consider these findings for better patient selection and surgical planning to optimize outcomes.

• Total gastrectomy patients lost 15% of body weight by six months, but weight loss did not correlate with life enjoyment scores.