Totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy shows advantages over laparoscopy-assisted method

In a randomized controlled trial involving 442 patients with stage I gastric cancer, totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) and laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG) were compared. Although the overall complication rates were similar (12.2% vs. 17.2%), TLDG resulted in significantly lower rates of postoperative ileus (0.9% vs. 5.7%) and pulmonary complications (0.5% vs. 4.3%). Additionally, patients undergoing TLDG reported better quality of life outcomes regarding pain, emotional functioning, anxiety, and body image in the early postoperative period.