Minimally invasive surgery for gastric stromal cell tumors: intermediate follow-up results

Laparoscopic wedge resection of the stomach (LWS) has become the treatment of choice for patients with benign gastric tumors. The technical consideration and long-term follow-up data of LWS for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the stomach are limited. We present our experience of 28 LWSs for gastric GISTs with a mean follow-up of 43 months. From October 1995 to December 2002, we successfully performed 28 LWSs for 29 patients with GISTs of the stomach, and one patient needed conversion to laparotomy because of suspected bowel injury when establishing pneumoperitoneum. Patient demographics, perioperative parameters, and outcomes of the 28 patients were assessed retrospectively. The tumors were located in the upper third of the stomach in 13 patients, in the middle third, in eight patients, and in the lower third, in seven patients. The mean size of tumors was 3.4 +/- 1.6 cm in diameter. The duration of operation ranged from 95 to 390 minutes: 189.6 +/- 79.5 minutes with the stapler method and 194.3 +/- 50.5 minutes with the hand-sewn method (P = 0.8870). No blood transfusion was given in the perioperative period in all cases. Cholecystectomy in three patients and repair of hiatal hernia in one patient were performed during the same operation. The oral intake was restored at the third to fourth postoperative days. The hospital stay ranged from 3 to 11 days (mean, 6.7 +/- 1.8 days). The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 95 months (mean, 43.3 +/- 23.5 months, median 42 months). There has been no evidence of tumor recurrence, including one patient with microscopic invasion of section margin. LWS can be performed safely with a satisfactory remission rate for patients with gastric stromal cell tumors.