LAPAROSCOPY-GUIDED EXTRACORPOREAL RESECTION OF EARLY GASTRIC-CARCINOMA

Background and Study Aims: Though endoscopic mucosal resection is succ essful for early gastric carcinoma, the indication for endoscopic muco sal resection appears to exclude larger early gastric carcinomas, We r eport here on our experience in resecting early gastric carcinoma usin g laparoscopy-guided partial resection of the stomach extracorporeally . Patients and Methods: Seven patients with early gastric carcinoma we re treated surgically under laparoscopic guidance, After an inspection of the abdominal cavity by laparoscope through an umbilical port, a g astrofiberscope was then inserted into the stomach perorally, and conf irmation of the site of the carcinoma was provided by illuminating the interior gastric wall endoscopically, The gastric wall portion includ ing the carcinoma was then exteriorized through a small upper midline incision, and resected, The gastrotomy was sutured extracorporeally, a nd then repositioned inside the abdomen. Results: All the carcinomas w ere successfully resected extracorporeally, with cancer-free margins, Postoperative courses were uneventful, and the average period of hospi talization after the operation was ten days. Conclusions: This type of laparoscopy-guided partial resection of the stomach is expected to be come more widely adopted as a treatment for early gastric carcinoma.