Gastrectomy and D2 Lymphadenectomy for Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis Comparing the Harmonic Scalpel to Conventional Techniques

Table 2

Study and baseline characteristics for studies meeting inclusion criteria.

Reference	Country	Intervention		Age (mean ± SD)	% male	Surgery	Study length (months)	Included endpoints
Choi et al., 2014 [21]	Korea	Harmonic scalpel; Monopolar electric coagulator and clips	128; 125	52.8 ± 10.7; 53.9 ± 10.5	60.9%; 64.8%	Gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection	16	(i) Operating time; (ii) Intraoperative blood loss; (iii) Postoperative lymphatic drainage; (iv) Postoperative complication
Chen, 2012 [20]	China	Harmonic scalpel (GEN300); Conventional techniques (knot-tying)	60; 60	58.9 ± 19.3	65.0%	Distal radical resection of gastric carcinoma and lymphadenectomy	25	(i) Operation time; (ii) Intraoperative blood loss; (iii) Drainage volume
Cui et al., 2012 [31]	China	Harmonic scalpel (GEN300); Electrosurgery	31; 31	56.4 ± 9.9; 58.9 ± 9.2	67.7%; 58.1%	Gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection	48	(i) Operation time; (ii) Blood loss volume; (iii) Postoperative drainage volume of the first 72 hours; (iv) Length of postoperative hospital stay; (v) Complication rate
Inoue et al., 2012 [26]	Japan	Harmonic Focus; Electrosurgery and knot-tying	30; 30	64 (41–79); 67 (45–92)	70.0%; 73.3%	Gastrectomy with lymph node dissections (combined resection performed in 6 patients in each group)	11	(i) Operative time; (ii) Blood loss; (iii) Postoperative drainage volume; (iv) Postoperative hospital stay; (v) Surgery-related complications; (vi) Number of transfused patients
Liu et al., 2010 [29]	China	Harmonic scalpel (GEN300); Electrosurgery	19; 21	62; 64	63.2%; 57.1%	Radical distal resection of gastric carcinoma with D2 dissection	29	(i) Operation time; (ii) Blood loss; (iii) Peritoneal drainage volume of the first 3 days
Lu et al., 2008 [24]	China	Harmonic scalpel (GEN300); Monopolar electrosurgery	26; 23		61.5%; 56.5%	Distal radical gastrectomy with D2 dissection	11	(i) Length of operating time for lymphadenectomy; (ii) Blood loss in lymphadenectomy; (iii) Drainage volume
Tsimoyiannis et al., 2002 [28]	Greece	Harmonic scalpel; Monopolar electrosurgery	20; 20	59 ± 10; 62 ± 9	80%; 75%	Gastrectomy with D2 dissection	24	(i) Operative time; (ii) Operative blood loss; (iii) Postoperative abdominal drainage; (iv) Number of patients transfused; (v) Postoperative hospital stay; (vi) Frequency of major complication
Wang et al., 2010 [30]	China	Harmonic scalpel (GEN300); Monopolar electrosurgery	38; 30	61.8 ± 21.5	60.30%	Laparoscopic radical distal D2 gastrectomy	23	(i) Operation time; (ii) Intraoperative bleeding volume; (iii) Postsurgery 3-day drainage volume
Wilhelm et al.,; 2011 [23]	Germany	Harmonic Wave Ultrasound Dissector; Electrocautery, sutures, and ligatures	100; 101	66 ± 12; 64 ± 12	60%; 61.40%	Left hemicolectomy and gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy	24	(i) Duration of operation; (ii) Perioperative blood loss; (iii) Intraoperative complications; (iv) Duration of hospital stay
Xu et al., 2010 [32]	China	Harmonic scalpel; Electrosurgery and knot-tying	23; 19	61; 64	60.90%; 63.20%	Distal radical gastrectomy with D2 dissection	18	(i) Operation time; (ii) Intraoperative blood loss; (iii) Postoperative drainage volume

Age reported as median (range).
Reported outcomes that included only lymphadenectomy patients were excluded from the analysis.
Reported outcomes that included patients who received hemicolectomy were excluded from the analysis.