Endoscopic mucosal resection for treatment of heterotopic pancreas in the stomach.

We report a case of a 30-year-old man who suffered from epigastralgia for 1 month. During an upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination, a small nodule with a smooth surface was found at the greater curvature of the gastric antrum. Endoscopic ultrasonography showed focal thickening of the second and third layers of the stomach with slightly hypoechoic echotexture in the submucosa. The tumor was excised by means of endoscopic mucosal resection, with a cap-fitted panendoscope. Pathologic examination of the resected tissue revealed a heterotopic pancreas, which was subsequently removed. Heterotopic pancreas is often difficult to diagnose preoperatively. This is the first reported case in which endoscopic mucosal resection was used for both diagnosis and treatment heterotopic pancreas.