腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术的学习曲线

目的 探讨腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术的学习曲线.方法 回顾性分析2007年1月至2008年11月我科开展腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术以来150例患者的临床资料,按手术先后顺序分3组(A、B、C组),每组50例,对各组患者的手术时间、术中出血量、中转开腹率、淋巴结清扫数目、术后肛门排气时间、术后住院天数和术后并发症发生率等进行比较.结...     

手辅助腹腔镜胃癌根治手术技巧探讨

目的 探讨手辅助腹腔镜胃癌根治手术的可行性、手术技巧及短期治疗效果.方法 对2009年11月至2011年6月我科施行的14例手辅助腹腔镜胃癌根治手术患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析,分析患者手术时间、术中出血量、术后肛门排气时间、住院时间、淋巴结清扫数目以及短期随访结果.结果 全组14例患者手术均成功,无中转开腹.手术中位时间130min(90～180 min);术中出血量50～150 ml,平均(102.3±26.5) ml;术后排气时间2～4 d,平均(3.2±1.3)d;术后开始进食时间(4.5±1.4)d;患者住院天数7～12 d,平均住院天数(9.0±2.5)d;手术清扫淋巴结数目18～27枚,平均(22.2±5.3)枚.无围手术期并发症及死亡病例.随访2～20个月,1例ⅢC期患者死亡.结论 手辅助腹腔镜胃癌根治手术具有与腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治手术同样的微创效果,但操作相对容易,更适合有丰富开腹手术经验,而腹腔镜技术薄弱的高年资医生.     

腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治81例分析

[目的]比较腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治与腹腔镜辅助胃癌全胃切除的临床资料,探讨腹腔镜辅助全胃切除术的可行性及安全性.[方法]回顾性分析接受腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治病例81例的临床资料,其中LADG组58例行腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌切除,LATG组23例行腹腔镜辅助全胃切除.[结果]与腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治相比,腹腔镜辅助全胃切除组手术时间统计学延长.术中出血量、术中并发症发生率均增加,但是差异无统计学意义.胃肠功能恢复时间、术后引流管拔除时间、术后住院时间均无统计学差异.[结论]腹腔镜辅助全胃切除手术难度相对较大,术中并发症发生率高,但是总体安全可行,可在条件成熟,腔镜胃癌技术娴熟的技术上逐步开展.     

腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术83例临床分析

目的 探讨腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术在胃癌治疗中的临床应用.方法 回顾性分析总结2010年7月至2011年8月间我院施行腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术83例患者的临床资料,包括手术方式、手术时间、术中失血、术后排气时间、术后住院天数、并发症、术后病理和随访结果等.结果 除2例中转开腹手术外,其余81例均在腹腔镜下完成胃切除和D2淋巴结...     

腹腔镜直肠癌根治术的学习曲线研究

目的 评估腹腔镜直肠癌根治术不同阶段的手术效果,探讨无腹腔镜胆囊切除术经验的外科医师缩短学习曲线的要点.方法 分析2009年6月至2010年3月由同组无腹腔镜胆囊切除经验医师完成的45例腹腔镜直肠癌根治术患者的临床资料.按手术先后次序分A、B、c共3组,每组15例,记录手术频率,比较各组手术时间、术中出血量、中转开腹率、并发症、住院天数和淋巴结清扫数,分析不同阶段的手术效果.结果 3组病例在年龄、性别、病理分期、肿瘤部位、手术方式无显著差异,A组手术时间、出血量及术后住院时间高于B、C组,差异有统计学意义;B、C组间差异无统计学意义.A组中转开腹例数多于B、C组.各组检获淋巴结数无差异.结论 有丰富开腹直肠癌手术经验和内镜经验的同定团队,短期连续大量病例的学习,经过15例的学习曲线,可掌握腹腔镜直肠癌手术.     

胸腹腔镜下食管癌手术112例的学习曲线

摘 要：［目的］ 探讨胸腹腔镜下食管癌手术的学习曲线。［方法］ 回顾性分析2011年10月至2016年10月收集的112例行胸腹腔镜下食管癌手术患者的临床资料,并依据胸腹腔镜下食管癌手术施行时间先后顺序将全组病例平均分为4组：Ⅰ组、Ⅱ组、Ⅲ组和Ⅳ组,每组28例。［结果］ 4组患者手术均顺利完成,无术中死亡病例。4组患者的手术时间、出血量、淋巴结清扫数目、转开腹例数、并发症发生率和住院时间差异均有统计学意义 (P均<0.05),其中Ⅰ组的手术时间、失血量、转开腹例数、术后并发症和住院时间均显著高于Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ组(P<0.05),淋巴结清扫数目显著低于Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ组(P<0.05),后3组的手术时间、出血量、淋巴结清扫数目、转开腹例数、并发症发生率和住院时间差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。［结论］胸腹腔镜下食管癌手术的学习曲线约为28例。     

快速康复在不同方式胃癌根治手术中的应用

目的:评价快速康复（fast track,FT）模式在不同方式胃癌根治手术患者术后康复中的有效性及安全性。方法:收集我科2016年1月至2017年6月期间行开放(OS)及腹腔镜(LS)胃癌根治手术患者各40例，随机分为FT处理组（OS+FT组、LS+FT组）和常规处理（NT）对照组（OS+NT组、LS+NT组），比较不同处理模式对术后疼痛评分、恢复情况和术后并发症发生率的影响。结果:OS+FT组、LS+FT组术后1、2、3、4和5 d疼痛评分均低于NT对照组，各观察时点差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.005）；OS+FT组、LS+FT组术后首次排气时间、首次离床时间以及住院时间均短于NT对照组（P＜0.05）；术后OS+FT组、LS+FT组总体并发症发生率均为10%，与NT对照组（OS+NT组20%，LS+NT组15%）相比，差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）。结论:FT模式有利于减少患者痛苦，加速术后恢复，未增加术后并发症风险，在不同方式胃切除手术患者围术期处理过程中安全、有效。     

3D腹腔镜在胃癌根治手术中的临床应用价值

目的 探讨 3D 腹腔镜在胃癌根治术中的临床应用价值。方法 选取 2018 年 1 月至 2020 年 1 月在我院行胃癌根治术的 98 例患者为研究对象,基于随机原则分为对照组和观察组,每组各 49 例。对照组行 2D 腹腔镜胃癌根治术,观察组行 3D 腹腔镜胃癌根治术。比较两组患者的手术相关指标、术后并发症及随访情况。结果 两组患者均行 R₀切除,无围手术期死亡病例。观察组在手术时间、术中出血量方面均低于对照组( P<0. 001) ,而清扫淋巴结数量则多于对照组,差异有统计学意义( P<0. 001) ; 但两组患者的术后排气时间、恢复饮食时间及总住院时间进行比较,差异均无统计学意义( P>0. 05) 。观察组术后吻合口瘘、残胃无力、腹腔感染、切口感染、肺部感染及肠梗阻等并发症的发生率均低于对照组。观察组并发症总发生率为 8. 2%,低于对照组的 24. 5%,差异有统计学意义( P<0. 05) 。至随访截止时间,观察组局部复发、远处转移及死亡例数均少于对照组。结论 相较于 2D 腹腔镜治疗技术,在胃癌根治手术中应用 3D 腹腔镜...     

腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术围手术期的护理

目的:探讨腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术围手术期护理策略.方法:总结2006年3月至2009年12月间120例腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术的围手术期护理措施.结果:术后发生呃逆及胃瘫各1例,经保守治疗后好转,所有患者均痊愈出院,平均住院日为11.05天±5.43天.结论:除腹腔镜微创手术术后常规护理措施外,多种形式的心理护理、患者术后早...     

不同淋巴结清扫范围的胃癌根治手术对机体的侵袭

Objective： To evaluate the effects of surgical trauma of open surgery on the patients with gastric carcinoma who underwent different lymph node dissection. Methods： Total 30 patients with gastric carcinoma were divided into three groups （D1, D2, and D3） according to the extent of lymph node dissection. Peripheral blood samples were taken to measure the levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6）, interleukin-8 （IL-8）, C-reactive protein （CRP） and polymorphonuclear elastase （PMNE）. Ad- ditionally, leucocytes and lymphocytes counts in peripheral serum were also detected. Results： All the three groups showed a significant increase of the levels of IL-6, IL-8, CRP and PMNE after operation. There was no significant difference between D1 and D2 groups. When the comparison was made between D3 group and the other two groups, it showed higher concentration of IL-6, IL-8, CRP and PMNE in serum of D3 group. Leucocytes count showed no difference among the three groups. After operation, the patients in three groups had transient lymphocytes decrease on the second and third postoperative days, the lymphocytes count in D3 group was still lower while those in D1 and D2 groups began to increase. Conclusion： IL-6, IL-8, CRP and PMNE can be used to monitor surgical stress. Using these parameters, we found that extended lymph node dissection of D3 group led to more postoperative stress than D1 and D2 groups.     

腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术对老年胃癌患者的临床疗效分析

  目的  比较老年胃癌患者和非老年患者接受腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术后短期疗效、并发症发生情况及长期生存的差异。  方法  回顾性分析2009年4月至2013年10月就诊于北京大学肿瘤医院并接受腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术219例患者的临床资料,比较老年组（≥65岁）与非老年组（ < 65岁）的手术情况、术后早期恢复情况及并发症发生率等,分析无病生存期和总生存期的差异。  结果  老年组术前ASA评分和合并症数目显著高于非老年组（P < 0.05）,两组患者在手术时间、术中出血量、中转开腹率等方面差异无统计学意义（均P > 0.05）。老年组患者手术后平均首次下地活动时间为（2.2±2.3）d,非老年组为（1.4±1.3）d,差异具有统计学意义（P < 0.05）。两组患者之间术后并发症发生率差异无统计学意义（34.8% vs. 28.5%,P > 0.05）。3年无病生存期和总生存期两组比较差异无统计学意义（P > 0.05）,但存在术后并发症的患者中,老年患者总生存率显著低于非老年患者（44.5% vs. 70.5%,P < 0.05）。  结论  腹腔镜胃癌根治术对老年患者安全可行,并且能够获得较好的长期生存,但仍需加强围手术期处理促进术后早期恢复、减少并发症发生。      

腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治术消化道重建方式分析

目的 比较腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治术中消化道重建方式.方法 回顾性分析51例行腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治术患者的病历资料,根据消化道重建方式不同将患者分为A组(n=10)、B组(n=8)、C组(n=17)、D组(n=16);A组行BillrothⅠ式吻合,B组行BillrothⅡ式吻合,C组行Roux-En-Y吻合,D组行un-Cut Roux-En-Y吻合.比较各组患者的术中及术后指标、并发症发生及预后情况.结果 51例胃癌患者的总体平均手术时间为(198.6±20.0)min,平均吻合时间为(51.7±11.4)min;A组和B组患者的手术时间、吻合时间均明显短于C组和D组(P﹤0.01).4组患者的术中出血量、淋巴结清扫数目、肠道排气时间、拔除引流管时间及住院时间比较,差异均无统计学意义(P﹥0.05).胃癌患者以吻合口瘘、感染为主要术后并发症.结论 4种腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治术消化道重建方式均是安全、可行的.4种方式各有优劣,BillrothⅠ式吻合符合生理;BillrothⅡ式吻合较BillrothⅠ式更好地解决了吻合口张力问题;Roux-En-Y吻合解决了吻合口张力过高、碱性胆汁反流等问题;un-Cut Roux-En-Y吻合在阻断空肠内容物通过的同时,保留了空肠肌电传导的连续性,一定程度上减少了滞留综合征的发生,且手术难度未明显增加,吻合时间也未明显延长,可成为较好的选择.     

腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治术中、术后早期并发症及其原因分析

目的 探讨腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治术中、术后早期并发症及其原因分析.方法 回顾性分析我院63例行腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治术患者的临床资料,分析术中及术后早期并发症发生的原因,探讨其处理.结果 术中并发症14例,包括术中出血5例,皮下气肿3例,高碳酸血症2例,横结肠系膜损伤4例;中转开腹2例,中转率为3.17％,1例为术中血管损伤引起出血,1例为严重高碳酸血症;余均在腹腔镜下成功处理.术后早期并发症11例,包括术后腹腔内出血2例,戳孔感染2例,戳孔血肿1例,十二指肠残端瘘2例,吻合口瘘1例,吻合口狭窄1例,吻合口出血1例,淋巴漏1例.结论 了解腹腔镜辅助远端胃癌根治术并发症的原因和种类是减少术中和术后早期并发症的关键.     

腹腔镜辅助胃癌D2根治术并发症的防治研究

目的探讨腹腔镜辅助胃癌D2根治术并发症的危险因素,为其防治积累经验。方法 160例患者随机分为试验组和对照组,试验组87例患者采用腹腔镜辅助胃癌D2根治术,对照组73例患者采用开腹全胃切除胃癌D2根治术,比较两组患者术后并发症,并对其危险因素进行Logistic回归分析。结果两组患者手术情况比较,试验组患者手术操作时间(121.5±63.2)min,清扫淋巴结(29±4)枚;对照组患者手术操作时间(125.2±54.5)min,清扫淋巴结(28±3)枚,两组比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。试验组患者术中出血量(101.2±28.9)ml、肛门排气时间(2.9±.6)d、住院时间(7.2±5.3)d,对照组患者术中出血量(152.5±34.6)ml、肛门排气时间(4.1±1.1)d、住院时间(13.1±1.5)d,两组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。试验组患者出现并发症20例(23.0%),对照组患者出现并发症28例(38.4%),两组患者并发症发生率差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。术后并发症多因素Logistic回归分析显示,全部患者出现术后并发症的危险因素为吸烟、饮酒、肿瘤大小和病理分型;试验组患者的危险因素为吸烟、饮酒、肿瘤大小和吻合方式。结论腹腔镜辅助胃癌D2根治术创伤小,具有明显微创优势。患者不良生活习惯、肿瘤状态和手术方式的选择对术后并发症有影响。     

机器人与腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术中复杂部位淋巴结清扫对比研究

  目的  旨在探究机器人与腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术在复杂部位区域内淋巴结的效果比较。  方法  回顾性分析2014年8月至2015年8月于中国人民解放军总医院接受胃癌根治术的296例患者的临床资料，其中机器人组61例，腹腔镜组235例。收集患者临床特征、手术指标、病理和相关肿瘤数据，并根据手术程度分析各站切除淋巴结的数量。  结果  机器人组的淋巴结清扫数量显著增加（P=0.046），在N2区域也能较腹腔镜组清扫更多的淋巴结（P=0.038）。对于远端胃切除术，机器人组和腹腔镜组可分别切除脾动脉区域的（2.8±1.7）和（2.2±1.2）个淋巴结（P=0.036）。对于全胃切除术，机器人组和腹腔镜组可分别切除脾动脉区域的（2.8±1.2）和（2.1±1.0）枚淋巴结（P=0.049）。脾门周围淋巴结的切除数为（1.8±0.8）和（1.3±0.7）枚（P=0.042），差异具有统计学意义。两组的术中输血率（P=0.617）、术后住院天数（P=0.071）、近端切缘（P=0.064）和远端切缘（P=0.667）无显著差异。术后并发症的发生率也无显著差异（P=0.854），但是根据Clavien-Dindo分级，机器人组的术后并发症程度显著下降（P=0.039）。  结论  机器人辅助胃癌根治术能够在复杂部位的区域淋巴结中发挥更大的优势，并且可能有助于降低根治性D2淋巴结清扫后并发症的严重程度。      

Laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy for distal gastric cancer

A 48-year-old female patient was diagnosed with a superficial depressed type early gastric cancer (type IIc) of 1.0 cm at the gastric angle as indicated by gastroscopy. Laparoscopic-assisted greater omentum-preserving D2 radical gastrectomy was performed in combination with Billroth I reconstruction under general anesthesia for the distal gastric cancer on April 5, 2013. The postoperative recovery was satisfying without complications. The patient was discharged seven days after surgery.Key Words: Early gastric cancer, gastrectomy, laparoscopic-assisted, D2 lymph node dissectionAs a novel minimally invasive surgical technique, laparoscopic radical gastrectomy is associated with such advantages as less injury, reduced postoperative pain, lower impact on immune function, rapid recovery of gastrointestinal function, and short hospital stay. In 1997, Goh and coworkers conducted D2 radical gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer under laparoscope, which demonstrated the safety and feasibility in terms of the technique. In their reviews, Topal (1) and Huscher (2) also confirmed the above conclusion, and they suggested that the long-term survival outcomes of laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy were similar to those of open surgery. Laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy has now been recognized for treating gastric cancer with an invasion depth of T2 or less, without evidence of lymph node metastases in preoperative examination (3). On April 5, 2013, we conducted laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy for a patient with early gastric cancer (type IIc). The postoperative recovery was satisfying. The details are as follows:A 48-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital due to “upper abdominal dull pain with acid reflux for more than a month”. Gastroscopy suggested a superficial depressed type early gastric cancer of 1.0 cm at the gastric angle. Biopsies indicated adenocarcinoma at the gastric angle. Endoscopic ultrasound indicated disordered structure of the submucosal layer of the gastric lesion at the gastric angle. CT scan suggested slightly thickened gastric wall at the gastric angle, without enlargement of lymph nodes around the stomach or liver metastasis. Preoperative staging: T1bN0M0. On April 5, 2013, laparoscopic-assisted D2 radical gastrectomy was conducted under general anesthesia for the distal gastric cancer.During the surgery (Video 1), the patient was placed in a supine position with legs apart. Following general anesthesia, CO₂ pneumoperitoneum was established at 12 cm water column. Laparoscopic exploration showed no peritoneal dissemination or liver metastasis nodules, so the surgeons decided to perform D2 radical resection while preserving the greater omentum. The gastrocolic ligament was cut open 2-3 cm away from the greater curvature through to the lower pole of the spleen. The left gastroepiploic vessels were denuded, and the left gastroepiploic artery was ligated and cut at the root. The station number 4sb lymph nodes were dissected. The greater curvature was denuded, and station number 4d lymph nodes were dissected.Open in a separate windowVideo 1Laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy for distal gastric cancerThe lymph nodes in the inferior area of the pylorus were then dissected. The station number 14v lymph nodes were typically not dissected in the standard D2 radical surgery. The anterior pancreaticoduodenal fascia was stripped close to the head of the pancreas to reveal the right gastroepiploic vein. During the separation, the non-working face of the ultrasonic scalpel was pointed towards the pancreas. Caution was made to avoid injury to the small vessels on the surface of the pancreas, particularly to the anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein. The right gastroepiploic vein was denuded, and transected before its junction with the pancreaticoduodenal vein. The right gastroepiploic artery was then denuded. The small vessels and subpyloric vessels emerging from the gastroduodenal artery and entering the posterior wall of the duodenum were treated first. This could reduce bleeding when separating the right gastroepiploic artery. After the right gastroepiploic artery was denuded, ligated and cut, the lower edge of the duodenum was denuded, and the station number 6 lymph nodes were dissected. The gastroduodenal artery was stripped to its root in an inverse direction. The common hepatic artery was dissected, and the right gastric artery was separated near the bifurcation, but was not transected for the moment.A piece of sterile gauze was placed on the lesser sac to flip the stomach downward. The pylorus and the superior region of the duodenum were denuded, then the small omentum was opened, and the gauze was clearly visible. The duodenum was first transected, and the stomach was flipped to the left side to reveal the structure more clearly from the upper edge of the pancreas to the posterior wall of the lesser sac.The anterior hepatoduodenal capsule was opened and the proper hepatic artery was divided. The right gastric artery was further denuded, ligated and cut at the root. The station number 5 lymph nodes were dissected. With the assistant gently lifting the gastropancreatic fold, the surgeon began to separate the superficial fascia on the upper edge of the pancreas. The gastropancreatic fold was dissected, and the coronary vein and the left gastric artery were denuded. After the coronary vein was denuded, a clamp was applied to the root and the vessel was transected. The left gastric artery was denuded from the periphery. An absorbable clamp was applied to 0.5 cm above its root and the vessel was transected so that the clamp would not slip off. The station number 7 lymph nodes were dissected.The lesser sac was opened until the right edge of the cardia. The peritoneal reflection was opened to the anterior part of the right crus of the diaphragm to provide an accurate anatomic plane for the subsequent dissection of the station number 9 lymph nodes. The station number 12a lymph nodes were then dissected. The proper hepatic artery was gently pulled to the right side, and the fascia to the left was separated to naturally reveal the left anterior wall of the portal vein. The separation was continued along the upper edge of the fascia from the left side of the portal vein to the celiac artery, during which the stations number 12a and 8a lymph nodes were dissected en bloc. After the dissection, the entrance of the portal vein, splenic vein and coronary vein was clearly visible. The two stations were gently retracted to the left side, and the lymph nodes to the right of the celiac artery were dissected along the plane established anterior to the crus in the above steps, and the anterior region of the celiac artery was then dissected.Afterwards, the lymph nodes proximal to the splenic artery were then dissected (number 11p). The fascia at the upper edge of the pancreas was separated towards the pancreatic tail to expose the splenic artery. It should be noted that there were several curves along the splenic artery to the splenic hilum, especially the largest one of 3 to 4 cm to the root, which was hidden behind the pancreas with lymph nodes inside that should not be omitted. Hence, we dissected the lymph nodes surrounding the splenic artery from both the anterior and the posterior directions. The dissection from posterior to anterior areas beginning from the left crus of the diaphragm would help ensure that the lymph nodes at the curves were not omitted. The supplying vessels along the lymph nodes around the splenic artery could be directly transected with the ultrasonic scalpel. After dissection, the lymph nodes were lifted to the anterior right side. The separation was then continued towards the cardia so that lymph nodes to the posterior and right of the cardia could be dissected. The right side of the cardia and the lesser curvature of the stomach were denuded, and the stations number 1 and 3 were dissected. At this point, the laparoscopic operation was is complete. An auxiliary incision of about 5 cm was made inferior to the xiphoid for the removal of the entire specimen. A Tyco 25# circular gastrointestinal stapler was used to complete the Billroth I anastomosis.The whole operation lasted 3 hours and 10 minutes, with intraoperative blood loss of 20 mL, and no blood transfusion was delivered. The patient was able to ambulate three days after surgery. Liquid diet was prescribed on the 5th day and semi-liquid diet on the 6th day. The patient was discharged seven days after surgery without postoperative complications. Postoperative pathology showed a superficial depressed type moderately to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with superficial ulceration at the junction of the antrum and the gastric body on the lesser curvature side (size 1 cm × 1 cm × 0.2 cm), invading the submucosa. Chronic inflammation was noted in 2 (suprapyloric), 1 (subpyloric), 5 (lesser curvature), 3 (greater curvature), 2 (close to the left gastric artery), 1 (close to the common hepatic artery), 2 (close to the splenic artery), 2 (close to the celiac artery), 1 (12a), 1 (4sb), and 2 (to the right of the cardia) lymph node. Both upper and lower margins were negative. Postoperative pathological staging was T1bN0M0.     

Two-stage radical gastrectomy for perforated gastric cancer

Introduction Perforation represents a severe complication of gastric cancer. Because it is rare, only few data are available regarding treatment and prognosis. Methods Patients with perforated gastric cancer were identified from two prospective registers of gastric cancer and of gastroduodenal ulcer. Results Between February 1982 and June 1999 23 patients with perforated gastric cancer were treated surgically. This corresponds to only 1.8% of 1273 patients presenting with gastric cancer, but to 14% of 161 patients presenting with gastric perforation during this time period. Overall, post-operative mortality was 13% (3/23). Initially, 21 patients had palliative operations. Two patients had a potentially curative procedure at the emergency operation and one of the two died post-operatively. Another six patients had potentially curative gastrectomy at a second stage and no patient died post-operatively. The 5-year overall survival was estimated at 50% for all eight curatively-treated patients. Median survival of palliatively treated patients was 6 months.Conclusions Perforation of the stomach should raise suspicion of malignancy, particularly in elderly patients. At the time of perforation radical gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy is mostly not advised, either because a diagnosis of gastric cancer is not confirmed or because the patient's condition does not allow extended surgery. In this situation it is suggested to consider a two-stage procedure and direct the primary operation at the treatment of perforation and peritonitis. Tumour staging can be completed when the patient has recovered and a radical operation with curative intent can be planned without compromising long-term prognosis. Our observations and a review of the literature confirm that perforation of gastric cancer does not preclude long-term survival per se in a substantial number of patients.