SURGEON AT WORK Gastroesophagostomy after Proximal Gastrectomy Using a Double Stapling Technique

Proximal gastrectomy is preferred for early gastric cancer in the upper part of the stomach to preserve the function of the stomach after surgery. Gastroesophagostomy is one of the common reconstructional methods for proximal gastrectomy, but without using an antireflux procedure, this method results in a high incidence of reflux esophagitis. Some modified techniques have been reported to avoid these problems. We report a new method of gastroesophagostomy using a double stapling technique after proximal gastrectomy. This procedure is simple and safe, and seems to confer functional antireflux mechanism on the newly formed gastroesophageal junction. (J Am Coll Surg 2001;192:795–797. © 2001 by the American College of Surgeons)