A LAPAROSCOPIC APPROACH TO POSTERIOR GASTRIC WALL LEIOMYOMECTOMY

Leiomyomas represent 2% of gastric tumors. Commonly, gastric leiomyoma s are clinically silent. Most often they become clinically apparent du e to bleeding from ulceration of the overlying gastric mucosa. Surgica l extirpation of the tumor is the standard treatment. Gastric leiomyom ectomy was done routinely through open laparotomy until availability o f laparoscopic equipment and techniques. Recently, there have been a f ew published reports regarding laparoscopic or laparoscopic-assisted r emoval of smooth muscle gastric tumors. There is little data, however, describing or discussing a laparoscopic approach to gastric leiomyoma s located on the posterior gastric wall. We describe two different lap aroscopic approaches to posterior wall gastric leiomyomas that we used in two patients. The postoperative recovery of both patients was rema rkably quick and uneventful.