Removal of the stomach in oncology is an surgical intervention used to eliminate the oncological process in the early stages of its development. Such a procedure in 80% of cases ensures the patient's recovery and restoration of his body. It is important to consider that the operation is not always carried out by means of total excision of the organ. There are several types of surgical organ removal that help get rid of oncology. As with other methods of treatment, after the operation to remove the stomach, the patient may experience some complications. In addition, it is important to remember that the effect of this method of treatment and the life time after it will not be the same for all patients.
Indications for the procedure
The diagnosis of gastric cancer is not fatal, so the patient does not need to panic and become depressed. Treatment of some types of oncology is carried out by removing the entire organ (stomach). This may require a series of changes in daily life and diet.
Gastrectomy is the procedure for removing part or all of an organ. It is important to pay particular attention to what kind of nutrition will be prescribed to the patient after organ removal in case of a lesion with a malignant formation. The lack of a stomach greatly affects the diet and requires a complete review.
Organ removal is only used if other treatments do not help. The operation is performed in the following cases:
- benign and malignant tumors in the stomach;
- heavy bleeding;
- inflammatory processes;
- perforation of the wall of the stomach;
- severe ulcer or exacerbated diseases of the duodenum;
- the formation of polyps or growths on the inside of the stomach ;
- stomach cancer.
If the stomach is affected by an ulcer, the doctor tries to restore the patient's normal acidity. Gastric juice helps reduce its level if you regularly consume cabbage juice and engage in slow walking after eating.
Contraindications to the procedure
There are several diseases during which the attending specialist prescribes the removal of the stomach to the patient, but the presence of oncology is the most common indication for surgery. To achieve greater effect during the operation, specialists prescribe a comprehensive treatment: radiation and chemotherapy.
But it is important to remember that there are situations in which the treatment of gastric cancer with surgery is prohibited. The main contraindications experts include:
- The presence of metastases in the following organs: liver, lungs, ovaries and some others. Most often, this condition occurs with a severe form of the disease - the fourth stage of gastric cancer.
- The growth of cancerous formation on those lymph nodes that are located at a great distance from the organ. Often they begin to form in the body at the third stage of cancer development.
- If the patient has severe kidney or cardiovascular diseases in the body.
- Cancerous peritonitis.
- Complete depletion of the human body, during which the patient feels general weakness, depression, he has problems in physiological processes, rapid weight loss, problems with the nervous system (stress, psycho-emotional overload).
- Blood clotting problems.
- An increase in the abdomen due to the accumulation of a large amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
Surgery for gastric cancer can be performed on a patient of absolutely any age - this does not play a special role in treatment.
Preparatory Activities
Before any operation, especially during exposure to cancer cells, the doctor must conduct a comprehensive laboratory and instrumental study.
Such examinations are important for determining the quality of work of vital organs and systems, the site of spread of cancer, its stage and degree of prevalence. Diagnostic measures include:
- clinical and biochemical blood analysis;
- urine research;
- microscopic examination of feces to detect hidden blood impurities in them;
- chest x-ray;
- gastroscopy - endoscopic examination of the internal surface of the digestive system;
- biopsy - a procedure involving the excision of a small amount of affected tissue;
- Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity;
- MRI and CT scans.
Medication
Medical preparation of the patient will include the following medications:
- medicines to improve the digestive system;
- the use of sedatives that help improve sleep and restore well-being in the patient;
- transfusion of protein drugs and blood plasma in the presence of anemia;
- the use of drugs that help improve the functioning of the liver, kidneys, heart and blood vessels;
- the use of antibiotics;
- the use of special hemostatic medicines;
- gastric lavage.
In addition, it is very important to prepare the patient for surgery morally. The doctor must tell the patient in detail about all the positive and negative aspects of the procedure, the importance of its implementation and general technology.
Most often, the preoperative preparation of the patient includes chemotherapy, which helps reduce the size of the cancer and slow down the process of its development. Proper preparation for surgery will help not only achieve a positive result from the operation, but also prevent possible complications after removal of the stomach.
The main types of operations
What is a gastrectomy? To eliminate cancer in the human body, the doctor uses several methods of resection. When choosing the tactics of surgical intervention, doctors pay the main attention to the following factors:
- the location of the spread of cancer cells;
- the degree of development of oncology and its stage;
- age of the patient;
- the presence of metastases in nearby tissues and organs.
In medical practice, the following types of operations are distinguished:
- resection - removal of that part of the organ in which the cancerous lesion is located;
- gastrectomy - complete surgical removal of an organ and infected tissues;
- lymphodissection - excision of the lymph nodes together with the affected tissue that is next to them (this procedure is most often performed along with resection and hysterectomy);
- palliative intervention - therapy used with an inoperable form of oncology, it helps to improve the patient's health and prolong his life.
A gastrectomy includes the complete removal of the organ, but it is also possible to preserve part of the stomach. Gastrectomy is divided into the following types:
- distal subtotal - excision of that part of the organ in which it passes into the intestine is performed;
- proximal subtotal - used in the spread of oncology to the upper third of the stomach: in this case, two omentums, a fragment with a small curvature and lymph nodes are removed;
- total - a procedure in which the entire stomach is removed, and the esophagus connects to the small intestine;
- sleeve.
Methods
There are several ways to perform a gastrectomy:
- laparoscopic surgery - is performed using endoscopic instruments that are inserted into the abdomen through two small incisions: used for both complete and partial removal of the organ;
- laparotomy is an open surgery in which a large incision is made on the anterior abdominal wall.
Regardless of the chosen method of operation, a prerequisite for its implementation is the removal of regional lymph nodes.
Possible complications after the procedure
A person without a stomach often has complications. The most common include the following:
- anemia;
- reflux esophagitis;
- rapid weight loss;
- relapse of cancer;
- dumping syndrome;
- diffuse peritonitis ;
- profuse hemorrhage.
Recovery period
Life after removal of the stomach is quite difficult. After the operation, it is important for a person to go through a recovery period, which will be individual for each patient. Features of rehabilitation will directly depend on the age of the patient, the method of operation and the volume of the removed stomach. The recovery process will continue for 3 months. During the restoration of the body, a person is prohibited:
- supercool or, conversely, overheat;
- physically overstrain;
- eat harmful foods.
The patient is forbidden to eat fatty, smoked, spicy, pickled products, confectionery, drinks with a lot of sugar. Food should consist mainly of boiled or steamed dishes. When cooking, it is important to grind and chew well. It is also forbidden to eat too cold or hot food. It is important for the patient to abandon bad habits. After the operation, the attending physician will independently compose a very strict diet for the patient, determine a list of the main prohibited and permitted products.
Many patients ask how much they live with stomach cancer. The lifetime with such a pathology will directly depend on at what stage of spread the cancer was detected. If an oncological disease is diagnosed in the early stages of development, then the patient can live several decades. When determining a cancerous lesion at a late stage of development and conducting palliative treatment, the patient’s life span is much shorter, and in some cases does not exceed five years.
Food change
How do people live after stomach removal? Dietary nutrition during the removal of this organ is mainly aimed at restoring the process of assimilation and processing of food, as well as the normalization of metabolic functions. Nutrition should be made so that the human body receives from it the following amount of nutrient components:
- 55% carbohydrates;
- 30% fat;
- 15% protein.
It is important to add carbohydrates to the list of foods, as well as refuse foods that can lead to bloating. The temperature of the food should be neither hot nor cold.
It is also important to accustom yourself to eating in small portions, without fail fractional (from 5 to 6 times a day).
When preparing the menu during the restoration of the body, special attention should be paid to salads (asparagus, carrots, beets and spinach), ripe fruits, quickly digestible grain products, dairy products, natural meat. It is mandatory to include carbohydrates in the list of products (these include fruits, vegetables and juices), carefully monitor the rate of weight gain, if after the operation it has decreased significantly. The speed and quality of recovery will greatly depend on nutrition.
Life without a stomach is possible, and the operation to remove it is not as dangerous and scary as some people think.
Preventive actions
To avoid such a dangerous disease as cancer of the stomach, it is important to follow these rules:
- lead the right way of life;
- eat correctly and regularly (it is forbidden to eat a lot of canned food, smoked, salted and fatty foods; special attention should be paid to vegetables, herbs, fruits, whole grains, dairy products);
- give up bad habits: smoking, drinking alcohol;
- start playing sports;
- regular preventive examinations.
To prevent cancer, a person must take good care of his health, regularly undergo fibrogastroscopy for prevention. At least two times the patient should visit a doctor if he has any complaints about the state of the digestive system. In particular, regular checks are important for people over 60 years of age, as well as those who are predisposed to the disease at the genetic level.
After 45 years, gastroenterologists advise people to regularly conduct preventive examinations (1-2 times a year). Stomach cancer can begin to spread with a small ulcer that will accumulate abnormal cells in itself. It is important for a person to stop drinking alcohol and smoking in order to reduce the risk of cancer progressing.
Life without a stomach, of course, continues, but it is imperative to introduce some prohibitions and corrections into it, and change your diet. On the planet, about 1 million people are affected by this disease. It is important to remember that the quality of life without a stomach will directly depend on the stage of the cancer removed. Therefore, do not pull with a trip to the doctor. The likelihood of a normal life without a stomach is much higher with timely medical attention - at an early stage of oncology development.