Endoscopic enucleation of upper-GI submucosal tumors by using an insulated-tip electrosurgical knife.
BACKGROUND
Submucosal tumors often are found incidentally at upper endoscopy. Although the majority of the ones less than 5 cm in size are benign, periodic monitoring for incremental changes in size, which can be stressful and bothersome to patients, is essential. If relatively easy and safe, an endoscopic method of removal would be optimal treatment. Conventional endoscopic enucleation technically is difficult and often leads to serious complications, such as bleeding and perforation. A novel method for endoscopic enucleation of submucosal tumors with an insulated-tip electrosurgical knife is reported.


METHODS
En bloc enucleation was attempted by using an insulated-tip electrosurgical knife in 15 patients (10 men, 5 women; median age 48 years) with submucosal tumors of the esophagus (5) or stomach (5 cardia/fundus, 4 body, one antrum). EUS was performed to determine the layer of origin and the exact size of the submucosal tumor.


RESULTS
Tumors arose in the muscularis propria in 11 cases, submucosa in two, and muscularis mucosa in one. Enucleation was relatively easy and successful in 14 cases. In one case, however, piecemeal resection was unavoidable because of fibrotic adhesions with the surrounding tissue; this tumor later was confirmed to be a glomus tumor. Median procedure time was 35 minutes (8-180 minutes) and median size of the submucosal tumors was 2x1.7 cm. The largest lesion, located in the esophagus, measured 6x3 cm. Histopathologic diagnoses included leiomyoma (9), GI stromal tumor (4), stromal tumor of unknown malignant potential (1), and glomus tumor (1). A small perforation occurred in one patient with a 2.5-cm tumor in the anterior wall of proximal gastric body but was managed successfully by endoscopic clip application. Follow-up endoscopy at 2 months in this patient revealed no tumor recurrence and complete healing of the treatment-related ulcer.


CONCLUSIONS
En bloc endoscopic enucleation of submucosal tumors by using an insulated-tip electrosurgical knife appears to be safer, easier, and less time consuming compared with previously described methods. However, further investigation and comparative studies are required to confirm the safety and efficacy of this method.
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Gastroenterology, Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Young Soo
YS
Park
Seung Woo
SW
Park
Tae Il
TI
Kim
Si Young
SY
Song
Eric Hoon
EH
Choi
Jae Bock
JB
Chung
Jin Kyung
JK
Kang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019160:Endosonography / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004945:Esophagoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D016896:Treatment Outcome