Youn Baik Choi

Comparison of Early Outcomes of Intracorporeal and Extracorporeal Gastroduodenostomy After Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND Totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) has several advantages over laparoscopic-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG), including a shorter incision, less pain, and earlier recovery. We compared the feasibility and early surgical outcomes of TLDG and LADG in patients with gastric cancer. METHODS Between September 2008 and December 2009, 180 patients with gastric cancer underwent TLDG with intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy using linear staplers; and between January 2006 and December 2009, 268 patients with gastric cancer underwent LADG with extracorporeal gastroduodenostomy using circular staplers. Clinical features and early surgical outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS There were no between-group differences in postoperative clinical course and complications. Postoperative pain and the amount of pain killer administered were significantly lower (P<.05 each), and postoperative scars were smaller in the TLDG group. CONCLUSIONS TLDG with intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy is as safe and feasible as LADG for patients with gastric cancer. Moreover, TLDG is less invasive and more comfortable for patients than LADG.

A comparison between single-incision and conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND Single-incision laparoscopic surgery is becoming a more widely accepted surgical approach. However, the feasibility and safety of single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) are yet to be established. The present study compared outcomes following the use of SILC or conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CLC) on patients with gallbladder disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The study involved 190 symptomatic gallbladder disease patients treated between March 2009 and February 2011. Ninety-six patients underwent SILC, and 94 patients underwent CLC. Clinical and surgical outcomes were compared. RESULTS The SILC and CLC groups were similar in terms of age, gender ratio, body mass index, and diagnoses. The two groups were also found to be similar in terms of postoperative clinical course and complications. The SILC group had a longer operation time, less postoperative pain, and a shorter hospital stay than the CLC group (P<.05 for all variables). CONCLUSIONS SILC using the OCTO port system (Darim Corp., Korea) was as safe and feasible as CLC. Additionally, SILC is less invasive and more comfortable for patients than CLC.

Early experiences of minimally invasive surgery to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Purpose There are fewer patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Korea compared with Western countries. The incidence of GERD has increased in recent years however, concerning many physicians. Here, we report our early experiences of using a recently introduced method of laparoscopic antireflux surgery for the treatment of GERD in Korean patients. Methods Fifteen patients with GERD were treated using antireflux surgery between May 2009 and February 2012 at the University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center. Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with 360° wrapping was performed on all patients. Results Eleven male and four female patients were evaluated and treated with an average age of 58.1 ± 14.1 years. The average surgical time was 118.9 ± 45.1 minutes, and no complications presented during surgery. After surgery, the reflux symptoms of each patient were resolved; only two patients developed transient dysphagia, which resolved within one month. One patient developed a 6-cm hiatal hernia that had to be repaired and reinforced using mesh. Conclusion The use of laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of GERD is safe and feasible. It is also an efficacious method for controlling the symptoms of GERD in Korean patients. However, the use of this surgery still needs to be standardized (e.g., type of surgery, bougienage size, wrap length) and the long-term outcomes need to be evaluated.

Current Status of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery in Korea

Bariatric surgery is considered to be the most effective treatment modality in maintaining long-term weight reduction and improving obesity-related conditions in morbidly obese patients. In Korea, surgery for morbid obesity was laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy first performed in 2003. Since 2003, the annual number of bariatric surgeries has markedly increased, including adjustable gastric banding (AGB), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, mini-gastric bypass, and others. In Korea, AGB is much more common than in others countries. A large proportion of doctors, the public, and government misunderstand the necessity and effectiveness of bariatric surgery, believing that bariatric surgery has an unacceptably high morbidity, and that it is not superior to non-surgical treatments to improve obesity and obesity-related diseases. The effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery have been well demonstrated. The Korean Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery recommend bariatric surgery confining to morbidly obese patients (body mass index ≥40 or >35 in the presence of significant comorbidities).