Anastomotic Complications Can Be Reduced Using a Linear Stapler After Total Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the anastomotic complications after radical total gastrectomy using circular and linear stapler. A total of 121 consecutive patients who had undergone radical total gastrectomy at our hospital between 2010 and 2020 were enrolled. Postoperative complications were analyzed according to the baseline characteristics, surgical method, and type of anastomosis. The incidence of anastomotic stricture was significantly higher in the circular stapler group. Multivariate analyses showed that only the type of stapler used was significantly associated with anastomotic complications (odds ratio [OR] 0.11; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.012–0.986; P = 0.049). The incidence of anastomotic complications, particularly stenosis, is reduced using a linear stapler. Therefore, such as stapler is more suitable for anastomosis after total gastrectomy during both laparoscopic and open surgeries.