Single-incision laparoscopic antrectomy for type I gastric neuroendocrine tumor: a case report

BACKGROUND: Type I gastric neuroendocrine tumors (GNETs) originate from hyperplasia of enterochromaffin­like (ECL) cells and are commonly detected in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis, including autoimmune gastritis. Typical treatment for type I GNETs comprises simple surveillance and/or endoscopic resection. For alleviation of hypergastrinemia resulting in ECL cell hypertrophy, antrectomy is a treatment option. Type I GNETs mostly have excellent prognosis, and if a surgical approach is chosen, the procedure must be minimally invasive. One such technique for multiple type I GNETs, minimally invasive single-incision laparoscopic antrectomy (SILA), is reported here for the first time. CASE PRESENTATION: We performed SILA on a 46-year-old woman who developed type I GNETs caused by hypergastrinemia due to autoimmune gastritis. A Lap-Protector was inserted in a 3 cm incision at the umbilicus, and set an EZ Access equipped with two 5 mm trocars and one 12 mm trocar. Antrectomy without lymph node dissection was performed using a 5 mm forward-oblique viewing endoscope, a vessel sealing device, and linear staplers, while reconstruction was by Billroth I reconstruction. Side-to-side anastomosis was performed using a 45 mm linear stapler. The stapler entry hole was sutured intracorporeally using barbed suture material. The operation time was 140 min and blood loss was 5 ml. The patient was discharged ten days after surgery without complications. Serum gastrin level decreased to within the normal range on the day after the operation. One year after surgery, esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed pathological disappearance of all lesions of the remnant stomach. CONCLUSIONS: SILA is a minimally-invasive and tolerable technique for treatment of multiple type I GNETs. In this reported case there was good cohesiveness and effectiveness in normalizing gastrin levels and in elimination of remnant gastric lesions.