Feasibility and efficacy of indocyanine green used in laparoscopic gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer patients

Abstract

Objective: To identify the feasibility and efficacy of indocyanine green (ICG) used in laparoscopic gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer patients. Methods: From December 2018 to August 2019, the clinical data of 82 patients preoperatively diagnosed as advanced gastric cancer undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into ICG group(n=38) and a historical control group (non-ICG group, n=44). The number of retrieved lymph nodes, operation time, blood loss, hospital stay, fever time, evacuation time and complications were compared between these two groups. Results: The operation time [(172.8±45.8) min vs (162.6±45.7) min], blood loss [(80.1±91.9) ml vs (78.6±89.8) ml], hospital stay [(7.0±2.0) d vs (7.5±2.4) d], fever time [(2.3±1.2) d vs (2.9±1.9) d], evacuation time [(3.4±0.8) d vs (3.4±1.1) d] and incidence of complications (5.3% vs 9.1%) were not significantly different between the ICG and historical control groups (P>0.05). The number of retrieved lymph nodes in ICG group was significantly increased compared with that of the historical control group (46.5 vs 33.0, P=0.005). Conclusions: The ICG method applied in lymph node dissection of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy is safe. Moreover, ICG might elevate the efficiency of regional lymph node dissection.