Submucosal Tunneling Endoscopic Resection

Minimally invasive endoscopic resection procedures continue to evolve, with submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER) being a durable option for en bloc resection of submucosal tumors. Whether STER can be effectively used for larger (>3.5 cm) lesions remains to be seen. STER-ET is a novel approach for removal of extraluminal tumors, but data are currently limited to support its use.

Per oral endoscopic tumor (POET) resection for treatment of upper gastrointestinal subepithelial tumors. Surg Endosc. 2019;33:1326-1333. [PMID: 30604266 DOI: 10.1007/s00464-018-06627-4]

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic submucosal tunneling has evolved to allow endoscopic resection of subepithelial tumors of gastrointestinal tract without full-thickness perforation. This study aimed to investigate safety and efficacy of submucosal tunnel resection for these tumors.

METHOD

Patients with subepithelial tumors (SET) located in esophagus, gastric cardia, lesser curvature, and antrum were recruited. The size of tumor was limited to < 40 mm. The procedures were performed under general anesthesia. A mucosal entrance was created 2 cm proximal to the SET after submucosal injection. Submucosal tunnel was then extended and the tumor was dissected and mobilized with intact overlying mucosa. After complete dissection, the tumors would be retrieved per orally and mucosal entrance closed by endoclips.

RESULTS

From June 2012 to December 2016, 51 patients with subepithelial tumors received POET. 39 patients had SET in stomach, 11 located in esophagus, and 1 in duodenum. The mean operative time was 90.46 ± 46.49 min, while the mean size of the tumors was 20.71 ± 14.05 mm. The POET was converted to endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) in three patients with gastric subepithelial tumors located at greater curvature. The overall complication rate was 4.0%, and there was no bleeding, mucosal dehiscence, or leakage. The time to resume diet was 1.7 days, while the average hospital stay was 3.2 ± 1.0 days. The mean follow-up period was 19 ± 16 months, and only 1 patient developed recurrence of leiomyoma.

CONCLUSION

Per oral endoscopic tumor resection is safe and effective treatment for esophageal and gastric SET located at cardia, lesser curvature, and antrum. Currently, POET for treatment of upper GI SET is limited by the size and location of the tumor.

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy: Major advance in achalasia treatment and in endoscopic surgery

Per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) represents a natural orifice endoscopic surgery (NOTES) approach to laparoscopy Heller myotomy (LHM). POEM is arguably the most successful clinical application of NOTES. The growth of POEM from a single center in 2008 to approximately 60 centers worldwide in 2014 with several thousand procedures having been performed attests to the success of POEM. Initial efficacy, safety and acid reflux data suggest at least equivalence of POEM to LHM, the previous gold standard for achalasia therapy. Adjunctive techniques used in the West include impedance planimetry for real-time intraprocedural luminal assessment and endoscopic suturing for challenging mucosal defect closures during POEM. The impact of POEM extends beyond the realm of esophageal motility disorders as it is rapidly popularizing endoscopic submucosal dissection in the West and spawning offshoots that use the submucosal tunnel technique for a host of new indications ranging from resection of tumors to pyloromyotomy for gastroparesis.