Is Braun Jejunojejunostomy Necessary? Comparison Between Billroth-II Alone and Billroth-II With Braun Anastomosis After Distal Gastrectomy

Abstract

Purpose: The optimal reconstruction method following distal gastrectomy has not been elucidated. Since Billroth-II (B-II) reconstruction is commonly associated with increased bile reflux, Braun jejunojejunostomy has been proposed to reduce this complication.

Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed 325 patients with gastric cancer who underwent distal gastrectomy with B-II reconstruction between January 2015 and December 2017, comprising 159 patients without Braun anastomosis and 166 with Braun anastomosis. Outcomes were assessed over three years using annual gastroscopy based on the residual food, gastritis, and bile reflux criteria and the Los Angeles classification for reflux esophagitis.

Results: In the first postoperative year, the group with Braun anastomosis showed a significant reduction in bile reflux compared to the group without Braun anastomosis (75.9% vs. 86.2%; P=0.019). Moreover, multivariate analysis identified Braun anastomosis as the sole factor associated with this outcome. Additionally, the group with Braun anastomosis had a lower incidence of heartburn (12.0% vs. 20.1%; P=0.047) and reduced use of prokinetics (P<0.001) and acid reducers (P=0.002) compared to the group without Braun anastomosis. However, these benefits diminished in subsequent years, with no significant differences in residual food, gastritis, or reflux esophagitis between the groups. Both groups showed similar body mass index scores and nutritional outcomes over the 3-year follow-up period.

Conclusions: Although Braun anastomosis offers short-term benefits in reducing bile reflux after B-II reconstruction, these effects are not sustainable. The routine use of Braun anastomosis should be reconsidered, though either approach remains a viable option depending on the patient's circumstances.

Keywords: Bile reflux; Billroth II procedure; Gastrectomy; Gastric cancer.

Fig. 1. Patient selection flowchart.

Fig. 2. Examples of endoscopic findings demonstrating residual food, gastritis, and bile reflux criteria and Los Angeles classification in post-gastrectomy patients.

LA = Los Angeles classification.