Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer Complicated by Celiac and Splenic Artery Dissection

Abstract

Isolated dissection of the abdominal visceral arteries is relatively rare, and there are no prior reports of such complications in gastrectomy performed for gastric cancer. We safely performed laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with D1 dissection for early-stage gastric cancer in a 58-year-old man with asymptomatic celiac and splenic artery dissection discovered on preoperative CT. The patient was discharged without postoperative complications, and progress is currently being monitored, at 7 months postoperatively. When dissecting lymph nodes peripheral to the celiac artery, common hepatic artery, or splenic artery in gastric cancer surgery where complications from the abdominal visceral artery dissection were located, it is important to be aware of the risk of vascular injury, aneurysm formation, caused by heat dissipation from energy devices such as electrical or ultrasonically activated scalpels, before proceeding with surgery.