Endoscopically assisted laparoscopic local resection of gastric tumor

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive procedures have been applied in treatment of gastric submucosal tumors. Currently, combined laparoscopic - endoscopic rendezvous resection (CLERR) emerges as a new technique which further reduces operative invasiveness. CASE PRESENTATION: A-57-year-old female patient presented with epigastric pain. She was submitted to gastroscopy, which revealed a tumor located at the angle of His. Biopsy specimens demonstrated a leiomyoma. The patient underwent endoscopically assisted laparoscopic resection of the tumor. The operative time was 45 minutes. Diagnosis of leiomyoma was confirmed by the final histopathological examination. The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery and was discharged on the 2(nd) postoperative day. CONCLUSION: Combined laparoscopic and endoscopic rendezvous resection appears as a promising alternative minimally invasive technique. It offers easy recognition of the tumor, regardless of location, safe dissection, and full thickness resection with adequate margins as well as less operative time.