ObjectiveTo analyze short-term outcomes of hand assisted laparoscopic (HAL) D2 radical distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer and summarize clinical experiences. MethodsThe clinical data of 199 patients with gastric cancer undergoing D2 radical distal gastrectomy from December 2010 to December 2013 in this hospital were analyzed. HAL (HAL group, n=92) and traditonal open (TO group, n=107) D2 radical distal gastrectomy were performed. The operation time, incision length, intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph nodes harvested, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complications were compared between these two groups. ResultsThere was no residue of cancer cells at the surgical margin in the HAL group and the TO group. Compared with the TO group, the average incision length was obviously shorter (P < 0.01) and the average intraoperative blood loss was obviously less (P < 0.05) in the HAL group. The average operation time, the average number of lymph nodes harvested, and the average postoperative hospital stay had no significant differences between the HAL group and the TO group (P > 0.05). One case was died of unknown gastrointestinal bleeding in the HAL group and the TO group, respectively. The postoperative complication rate was 9.78% (9/92) in the HAL group and 11.21% (12/107) in the TO group, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05). ConclusionsHAL D2 radical distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer don't increase operation time. It has some advantages of minimal invasion and safety as compared with traditional open surgery.