Endo-organ and laparoscopic management of gastric leiomyomas

Various techniques have been reported for the laparoscopic treatment of benign gastric lesions, depending on the site of the lesion. Recently, a new technique of endo-organ gastric surgery has been developed that is particular useful for the treatment of lesions on the posterior gastric wall. We report on two patients with submucosal gastric tumors. A 79-year-old man was found to have a submucosal tumor near the esophagogastric junction in the posterior wall of the stomach. Endosonography suggested that the tumor was a gastric leiomyoma. Under endoscopic guidance, three ports were inserted into the stomach and the tumor could be successfully enucleated. A 78-year-old woman was found to have a 2 x 1-cm submucosal tumor at the anterior wall of the antrum. The tumor was successfully removed by laparoscopic gastrotomy and resection. The various laparoscopic techniques for the treatment of gastric lesions are discussed.