An adequate perioperative management and strategy for gastric cancer after coronary artery bypass using the right gastroepiploic artery

Interruption of the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) used for prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) may cause life-threatening myocardial ischemia during gastrectomy. This study investigated the cases treated in this department and pooled data in the literature to identify an adequate perioperative RGEA management strategy. Eight patients underwent gastrectomy after CABG with the RGEA. This study examined conditions, management of the RGEA, No. 6 lymph node metastasis, and complications of these cases and those in the pooled data. Percutaneous coronary intervention or a redo CABG was performed in advance in 7 and 1 patients, respectively. The RGEA was resected for dissection of No. 6 lymph nodes in 6 patients. Five patients had lymph node metastasis. Thirty-seven patients from 40 combined cases (92.5 %) underwent total or distal gastrectomy, but 17 patients (42.5 %) had RGEA resection. Resections of the RGEA and No. 6 lymph node metastasis were significantly higher in patients with perioperative coronary management than in those without such management. Coronary and celiac angiography and coronary revascularization are prerequisites to prevent cardiac events during gastrectomy and dissection of No. 6 lymph nodes should be performed with resection of RGEA. Standard lymph node dissection should therefore be performed with a curative intent for all patients even those undergoing gastrectomy after CABG using RGEA.