Safety and Feasibility of Electro-Vaporization of Ligamentum Teres Hepatis in Totally Laparoscopic Gastrectomy.

Introduction: The ligamentum teres hepatis may block the field of vision during totally laparoscopic gastrectomy (TLG), especially in patients with obesity. Aim: We used electrocautery to increase the visual field of TLG by shrinking the ligamentum teres hepatis. This procedure is termed electro-vaporization of the ligamentum teres hepatis (EVLTH). Methods: Patients with body mass index (BMI) ≥24 who underwent total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) or total laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) between January 2020 and December 2023 were retrospectively enrolled. According to the scope of gastrectomy and whether the patients underwent EVLTH, the patients were divided into the TLDG-EVLTH, TLDG-NEVLTH, TLTG-EVLTH, and TLTG-NEVLTH groups. The clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, and pathological features were compared between the TLDG-EVLTH and TLDG-NEVLTH groups and the TLTG-EVLTH and TLTG-NEVLTH groups. Results: This study included 65 patients who underwent TLDG (EVLTH: NEVLTH = 29:36) and 32 patients who underwent TLTG (EVLTH:NEVLTH = 15:17). There were no significant differences in clinical characteristics, surgical outcomes, and pathological features between the TLDG-EVLTH and TLDG-NEVLTH groups. However, the operation time in the TLTG-EVLTH group was significantly shorter than that in the TLTG-NEVLTH group, and the difference was statistically significant, although differences in other data were not statistically significant. Conclusions: EVLTH is a simple and safe procedure that reduces the operation time of TLTG in patients who are overweight and enhances the field of vision of TLG.