Stomach Removal Surgery (Gastrectomy)

Gastrectomy removes part or all of the stomach and reconstructs the digestive pathway.

A partial gastrectomy removes the affected portion and joins the remaining stomach or bowel so food can continue through the digestive system. A total gastrectomy removes the whole stomach and connects the oesophagus to the small bowel. The operation may be considered for stomach cancer when surgery is an appropriate part of the treatment plan.

Before surgery, the team assesses your general health, nutrition, medicines, and the extent of disease. The operation is done under general anaesthesia through an abdominal incision or, in selected situations, with minimally invasive techniques. The surgeon removes the planned section, nearby tissue when needed, and reconnects the digestive tract.

Hospital care includes pain control, prevention of blood clots, breathing exercises, and gradual reintroduction of fluids and food when it is safe. The exact plan is tailored to the operation performed and your recovery.

Tiredness, pain around the wound, reduced appetite, and early fullness are common during recovery. Because digestion changes, meals are often smaller and more frequent. Some people develop nausea, loose stools, reflux, dumping symptoms after eating, or weight loss, and may need support with nutrition and supplements.

Urgent assessment is needed for chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, heavy wound bleeding, fever, worsening abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, or a wound that becomes increasingly red or drains pus. These symptoms can signal a complication that needs prompt care.

The aim of gastrectomy is to remove cancer that can be treated surgically and to preserve a workable route for nutrition. Outcomes vary with the location and extent of the cancer, whether it can be completely removed, the operation required, other treatments, and a person's overall health.

Your surgical and oncology teams can explain the intended goal in your situation, whether treatment before or after surgery is being considered, and how follow-up will look for recurrence, nutrition, and recovery. Individual planning is more useful than applying another person's outcome to your case.

Removing stomach tissue changes how food is stored and passes into the bowel. Nutrition planning begins before surgery and continues after discharge. Follow-up commonly involves the surgical team, oncology team, and a dietitian.

Gastrectomy may be offered to people with stomach cancer when the multidisciplinary team judges that surgery could be beneficial. The decision takes account of where the tumour is, whether it has spread, your ability to tolerate a major operation, and the expected role of medicines or radiotherapy. Not everyone with stomach cancer needs the same type of surgery.

You will meet the surgical team to discuss consent, preparation, expected hospital care, and plans for eating afterward. On the day of surgery, anaesthesia keeps you asleep while the operation is performed. After reconstruction, you are monitored closely as the team checks pain, bowel function, wounds, circulation, and readiness to progress your diet.

Recovery from major abdominal surgery takes time and is different for each person. Walking with support and breathing exercises start early to help circulation and lung function. Your diet is advanced in stages according to the team’s advice. Smaller meals, thorough chewing, fluids between meals, and a food diary can make it easier to identify foods that are difficult to tolerate.

Possible surgical risks include bleeding, infection, blood clots, chest infection, leakage where the bowel is joined, and delayed return of bowel function. Longer-term issues can include nutritional deficiencies, altered bowel habits, and narrowing at a surgical connection. The team will describe the risks most relevant to your operation and health.

Alternatives depend on the cancer stage and treatment goal. They may include systemic anti-cancer treatment, radiotherapy in selected situations, symptom-focused care, or a different surgical approach. Some people have treatment before or after surgery. A multidisciplinary discussion helps coordinate these choices.

Look for a team that includes upper gastrointestinal surgeons, medical oncologists, specialist nurses, anaesthesia staff, and dietetic support. Take a current medicines list and a trusted support person to appointments if possible. Ask who to call after discharge, how nutrition follow-up will be arranged, and which symptoms need urgent assessment.