ObjectiveTo investigate the applicated value of carbon nanoparticle lymphatic tracer in laparoscopic assisted radical gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer. MethodsForty-two patients with advanced gastric cancer who were admitted to the Department of General Surgery in The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University from March to September in 2014, were collected prospectively and randomly divided into two groups (carbon nanoparticle group and control group), each group enrolled in 21 cases. After improving relevant auxiliary inspection, subserosal injection of carbon nanoparticle around the tumor was performed via venous infusion needle laparoscopically at the beginning of surgery in carbon nanoparticle group, while the patients routinely underwent laparoscopic assisted radical gastrectomy in control group. Comparison of the results of harvested lymph nodes and its detection time between the two groups was performed, and the perioperative complications were also evaluated. ResultsA total of 678 lymph nodes were detected in carbon nanoparticle group and 447 lymph nodes were detected in control group. The number of harvested lymph nodes in carbon nanoparticle group (32.28±4.10) was significantly higher than that of control group (21.28±2.74), P < 0.05. The mean harvest time in carbon nanoparticle group was shorter than that of control group[(24.09± 3.58) min vs. (32.76±4.76) min, P < 0.05]. The proportion of harvested small lymph node (≤5 mm) in carbon nanoparticle group was higher than that of control group[71.68% (486/678) vs. 48.99% (219/447), P < 0.01]. The number of black-dyed harvested lymph node was 506 (74.63%) and the metastasis rate of black-dyed lymph node was 26.28% (133/506) in carbon nanoparticle group, that the metastasis rate of black-dyed lymph node group was significantly higher than those of without black-dyed lymph node group[6.40% (11/172)] and control group[19.24% (86/447)], P < 0.05. No serious side effect caused by carbon nanoparticle was observed. ConclusionsThe application of diluted carbon nanoparticle lymphatic tracer has a good effect in the dissection of lymph nodes in laparoscopic assisted radical gastrectomy for advanced gastric cancer. It improves the detection rate of lymph nodes, especially the small lymph nodes, and it is safe and feasible.