Objective To investigate the shortterm and longterm efficacy of laparoscopic D2 radical distal gastrectomy for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. Methods Eighty patients with advanced gastric cancer were enrolled and divided into control group (n=35) and observation group (n=45). Open D2 radical distal gastrectomy was performed in the control group and laparoscopic D2 radical distal gastrectomy in the observation group. The operative duration, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative ambulation time, number of removed lymph nodes, complications and hospital stay were compared between the two groups. During the followup of 6 to 12months, the tumor recurrence and metastasis, deaths were recorded. Results There were differences in the operative duration ［(161.8±13.0) min vs (189.5±13.7) min］, incision size ［(5.9±0.8) cm vs (17.2±1.5) cm］, intraoperative blood loss ［(149.1±26.6) mL vs (343.3±87.8) mL］, postoperative ambulation time［(2.9±0.8) d vs (4.9±1.0) d］and hospital stay［(13.2±2.8) d vs (20.0±4.2) d］ between the two groups (P＜0.05). The incidence of complications of the observation group and the control group were 6.7% (3/45) and 28.6% (10/35) respectively (P＜0.05). There was no difference in the number of removed lymph nodes and length of proximal and distal margins between the two groups (P＞0.05). No difference was observed in survival rate between the two groups (P＞0.05). Conclusions Laparoscopic and open D2 radical distal gastrectomy have good radical effect and similar long term survival rate for advanced gastric cancer. However, laparoscopic surgery has the advantages of short operative duration, mininal damage, less blood loss and less postoperative complications.

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