Assessing Surgical Quality in Minimally Invasive Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer Using Intraoperative Photo Evaluation

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a new method to assess the quality of lymph node removal during minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer. This observational study focuses on the PhotoNodes Score, a tool designed to rate the adequacy of D2 lymphadenectomy by examining intraoperative images taken during surgery. The goal is to find a more reliable way to measure surgical quality that may also predict patient survival. During surgery, five high-quality laparoscopic or robotic images are captured at the end of the lymphadenectomy phase before reconstruction begins. Three surgeons independently review these images and score eight specific lymph node stations from poor to excellent. These scores are averaged to create a total PhotoNodes Score for each patient, reflecting the thoroughness of the lymph node removal. Participants undergo minimally invasive gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy and have their surgical images collected and reviewed. Researchers will measure agreement between observers on the scoring and examine how the score relates to disease-free survival and overall survival at 1 and 3 years. Follow-up includes medical chart reviews every six months for up to three years after enrollment ends, allowing detailed assessment of long-term outcomes and surgical quality.

Evaluation of Intra-operative Photographs for the Assessment of a Proper Lymphadenectomy in Minimally-invasive Gastrectomies for Gastric Cancer (PhotoNodes)