To investigate the feasibility and technical points of a novel reconstruction technique following robotic-assisted proximal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: Robotic Proximal Gastrectomy with Toupet Fundoplication and Stent-Supported Anterior Anastomosis (RAFT). A patient diagnosed with esophagogastric junction (EGJ) adenocarcinoma (cT2N0M0) underwent da Vinci robot-assisted proximal gastrectomy. The reconstruction involved an anterior esophagogastric anastomosis combined with a Toupet fundoplication. Postoperative complications and quality of life were monitored and recorded. The procedure was completed successfully. The anastomosis was patent and tension-free, with an estimated intraoperative blood loss of 50 mL. To date, follow-up has revealed no complications such as anastomotic leakage, bleeding, stenosis, or reflux esophagitis, and no tumor recurrence has been observed. The RAFT technique integrates the physiological advantages of anterior anastomosis with the antireflux efficacy of Toupet fundoplication, while maintaining procedural simplicity by requiring only a single primary anastomosis. Our initial experience confirms its safety and technical feasibility. Further clinical research is warranted to validate these findings.
Yuqiang Shan (Sun,) studied this question.