Benign duodenal tumors

Background/Aims: Benign duodenal tumors are rare and less common than malig nant, tumors. They comprise a wide variety of pathologies. Treatment is by endoscopic excision or surgical resection. In this report, we aim to review the management of benign tumors located in the proximal duodenum. Methodology: A retrospective review of II patients with benign duodenal tum ors treated in a single institution was performed over 10 years. Malignant tumors and periampullary tumors were excluded from the study. Results: The most common presentations were abdominal pain and upper gastro intestinal bleeding. Diagnosis was established by gastroduodenoscopy with b iopsy. Seven tumors were located in the first part of the duodenum. The mea n size of the tumors was 2.8cm. Three patients with bleeding tumors were tr eated with endoscopic hemostasis and underwent surgery because the tumors w ere larger than 2cm. Four patients had endoscopic polypectomies and 5 patie nts had surgical excision. The histological types included 6 adenomas, 3 Br unner's gland adenomas or harmatoma, 1 schwannoma and 1 leiomyoma. The resu lts were good with only 1 case of recurrence. Conclusions: The presentation of benign duodenal tumors is non-specific. Th ey are diagnosed by gastroduodenoscopy and the tumors can be removed if sma ll and pedunculated. Endoscopic ultrasound is useful in detecting submucosa l involvement of sessile tumors. In such cases and large tumors (>2cm), sur gical excision by laparotomy or laparoscopy should be undertaken.