The mini-laparoscopic intragastric resection of a gastroesophageal stromal tumor: a novel approach.

The laparoscopic wedge resection of gastric stromal tumors has been shown to be safe and effective. The removal of these tumors at the gastroesophageal junction is not amenable to a typical local resection because of anatomic inaccessibility and potential luminal restriction after resection. Also, an esophagogastrectomy is not tenable in the setting of benign disease. The recent advances in miniaturized laparoscopic instrumentation (2-mm diameter) have expanded the laparoscopic options, including intraluminal resection. The first intragastric mini-laparoscopic resection of the gastric stromal tumor at the gastroesophageal junction is reported.