Gastric perforation during endoscopic resection for gastric carcinoma and the risk of peritoneal dissemination

The potential risk of peritoneal seeding following perforation caused by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is unknown.

Between January 1991 and December 2003, 90 patients suffered gastric perforation during EMR or ESD at the National Cancer Centre Hospital, Tokyo. The clinical and pathological evidence for peritoneal dissemination in these patients was assessed retrospectively.

Eighty-four patients were followed up at this hospital for a median of 53.6 (range 7.0-136.6) months; the remaining six patients were followed up at other institutions. In 83 patients the perforation was repaired by endoscopic clip application and seven patients underwent emergency surgery. Gastrectomy was carried out in 33 patients who had non-curative endoscopic surgery. Among these, peritoneal fluid was sampled during operation in nine patients and was cytologically negative for malignancy. The other 24 patients who had a gastrectomy did not have ascites so cytology was not performed. No peritoneal dissemination was noted during follow-up.

This study suggests that perforation associated with EMR and ESD does not lead to peritoneal dissemination even in the long term.