Can Proximal Gastrectomy with Double-Tract Reconstruction Replace Total Gastrectomy? A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Background This retrospective cohort study compared proximal gastrectomy (PG) with double-tract reconstruction (DTR) versus total gastrectomy (TG) with Roux-en-Y reconstruction in terms of clinical outcomes. Methods All consecutive patients with upper early gastric cancer (EGC) who underwent PG-DTR or TG in 2008–2016 were selected. TG patients who matched PG-DTR patients in age, sex, body mass index, clinical stage, and ASA score were selected by propensity score matching. Groups were compared in terms of clinicopathological characteristics, clinical outcomes, early (≤ 30 days), late (> 30 days), and severe (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ III) postoperative complications, 1-year reflux morbidity, recurrence, and mortality. Results Of 322 patients, 52 underwent PG-DTR. A matching TG group of 52 patients was selected. The PG-DTR group had smaller tumors ( p = 0.02), smaller proximal and distal resection margins ( p = 0.01, p