Subcutaneous metastasis following laparoscopy in gastric adenocarcinoma

An 80-year-old male developed ascites as the first indication of an adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction. Laparoscopy was performed during the diagnostic study of the ascites and, 7 days later at the point of introduction of the laparoscope, a metastasis developed in skin and subcutaneous cellular tissue. This is the third case of subcutaneous neoplastic implantation following laparoscopy to appear in the literature. The two previously described cases dealt with patients with ovarian adenocarcinoma. The literature reporting cases of tumor dissemination following technical procedures is reviewed.