Laparoscopy-assisted Endoscopic Full-thickness Resection Research Articles

Progress in the treatment of early gastric cancer with Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery

With the introduction of minimally invasive methods into the field of surgery, the concept of early gastric cancer (EGC) treating has gradually changed from the pursuit of standardized traditional surgical methods to precise, individualized, interdisciplinary collaborative management. Both endoscopic therapy and laparoscopic surgery have their limitations for early gastric cancer treatment. Meanwhile, Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) combines the advantages of endoscopy and laparoscopy to perform local gastric resection and regional lymph node dissection, providing a more effective surgical approach for radical resection of early gastric cancer. The application of LECS in the treatment of early gastric cancer has been increasing, from the initial laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection to the evolvement of a variety of improved procedures such as combined laparoscopic and endoscopic approach for neoplasia with a non-exposure technique, non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery, and the possibility of combined (sentinel lymph node drainage area) regional lymph node dissection or sentinel lymph node navigation surgery, which expands the indications for endoscopic surgery and maximizes the preservation of normal gastric tissue structure and function while ensuring radical treatment, and will certainly become an important development direction in the treatment of early gastric cancer in the future.

Lap-Endo cooperative surgery (LECS) in gastric GIST: updates and future advances.

With advancements in the field of laparoscopic and endoscopic techniques leading to improved patient outcomes, open resection has become increasingly outdated for the treatment of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST). This is further superseded with the advent of laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS), an amalgamation of the two techniques to further improve results garnered while overcoming prior limitations each had individually. The electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase and PubMed were reviewed up to August 2021, using terms relating to LECS and gastric GIST. Relevant in-article references not returned in the searches were also considered. Advancements in the field of laparoscopic and endoscopic techniques has led to improved patient outcomes, making open resection a thing of the past for gastric GIST. This has become even more apparent with the advent of LECS, coupling two cutting edge techniques to further improve results garnered while overcoming prior limitations each had individually. LECS has gained much favour by reducing surgical margins due to endoscopic visualisation without being limited to smaller tumours, allowing for better anatomical and functional preservation of prior anatomy. Furthermore, hybrid approaches have improved perioperative outcomes, with reduction in procedure time, post-procedure hospital stay and lesser complications. Additionally, subtypes of LECS such as inverted LECS, closed LECS, non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery (NEWS) and laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (LAEFR) have been developed that allows the abdominal cavity to not be exposed to tumour cells and gastric contents by extracting the lesion transorally. LECS and its subtypes being a combination of two advanced techniques shows a synergistic effect that is promising. However, despite all these advantages of enhanced safety and certainty, there remains areas that require further improvement.

Choice of LECS Procedure for Benign and Malignant Gastric Tumors.

Laparoscopic endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) refers to the endoscopic dissection of the mucosal or submucosal layers with laparoscopic seromuscular resection. We recommend a treatment algorithm for the LECS procedure for gastric benign tumors according to the protruding type. In the exophytic type, endoscopic-assisted wedge resection can be performed. In the endophytic type, endoscopic-assisted wedge resection of the anterior wall is relatively easy to perform, and endoscopic-assisted transgastric resection, laparoscopic-assisted intragastric surgery, or single-incision intragastric resection in the posterior wall and esophagogastric junction (EG Jx) can be attempted. We propose an algorithm for the LECS procedure for early gastric cancer according to the tumor location. The endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) procedure can be adapted for all areas of the stomach, and single-incision ESD can be performed in the mid to high body and the EG Jx. In full-thickness gastric resection, laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection can be adapted for the entire area of the stomach, but it cannot be applied to the pyloric and EG Jx. In conclusion, surgeons need to select the LECS procedure according to tumor type, tumor location, the surgeon's individual experience, and the situation of the institution while also considering the advantages and disadvantages of each procedure.

Combined laparoscopy-endoscopy local resection for early gastric cancer

The surgical treatment of early gastric cancer (EGC) is undergoing the development of minimally invasive, precise and individualized treatment. The concept is changing from simple emphasis on radical treatment to giving consideration to both radical treatment and functional preservation. Combined laparoscopy-endoscopy local resection can achieve accurate resection of the lesions of EGC and solve the problem of lymph node dissection which cannot be performed in endoscopic mucosal dissection (ESD). At present, there are several methods of combined laparoscopy-endoscopy local resection for EGC, such as laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR), endoscopy-assisted wedge resection (EAWR), combined laparoscopic and endoscopic approach for neoplasia with a non-exposure technique (CLEAN-NET), and non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery (NEWS). These methods of local resection have the advantages of minimal invasion, shorter operation time, and less blood loss compared to conventional gastrectomy. Concerning the issue of lymph node dissection in combined laparoscopy-endoscopy surgery, sentinel node navigation can be the solution, although cumbersome intraoperative lymph node tracing, operative failure and false negative still exist. As a developing treatment for EGC, combined laparoscopy-endoscopy local resection will have a good application prospect in the future.

Laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection of upper gastrointestinal subepithelial tumors: A single-center early experience.

Recently, there have been important developments in minimally invasive full-thickness resection of subepithelial tumors (SETs) of the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, there remain challenges with techniques such as laparoscopy-endoscopy cooperative surgery (LECS) and non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery (NEWS). The aim of the present study was to further investigate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (ETFR) of SETs and to evaluate the clinical outcomes. This retrospective study included 16 patients with upper gastrointestinal SETs who underwent laparoscopy-assisted EFTR between July 2016 and December 2017. The patient characteristics, surgical outcomes, postoperative course, results of the histopathological examination and short-term outcomes were reviewed and analyzed. A total of 10 patients in the LECS group and 6 patients in the NEWS group presented with SETs in the stomach (15 cases) or duodenum (1 case). The mean tumor size in the LECS group (5.6 cm) was larger compared with that in the NEWS group (2.1 cm). R0 resection was achieved in all patients, without adverse events or tumor recurrence. The NEWS group exhibited a lower white blood cell count and C-reactive protein level on the first postoperative day, reflecting the less prominent inflammatory response, less bleeding and shorter hospitalization. Therefore, laparoscopy-assisted EFTR by LECS and NEWS is a feasible and safe minimally invasive treatment option for upper gastrointestinal SETs in selected patients.

Su1294 FEASIBILITY AND EFFICACY OF NON-EXPOSED ENDOSCOPIC WALL-INVERSION SURGERY (NEWS): A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS IN 50 GASTRIC LESIONS

In endoscopic full-thickness resection with or without laparoscopic assistance, intentional perforation of the gastric wall which is unavoidable during the procedure may cause bacterial contamination as well as tumor-cell seeding particularly in ulcerated submucosal tumors (SMTs) or cancers. To avoid these risks, we have developed a non-exposure technique of laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection, called non-exposed endoscopic wall-inversion surgery (NEWS). In this study, we retrospectively investigated the feasibility and efficacy of NEWS for gastric SMTs. Indication of NEWS included intraluminal or intramural growth-type gastric SMTs that were clinically diagnosed as gastrointestinal stromal tumors ≤3 cm in size, regardless of the existence of ulcerative findings; or cT1N0 single early gastric cancers (EGCs) ≤4 cm in size, except for an absolute indication for endoscopic resection (cT1aN0 intestinal-type, ≤2 cm). NEWS was performed as follows: laparoscopic sero-muscular incision after endoscopic submucosal injection, laparoscopic sero-muscular suturing with the lesion inverted, endoscopic muco-submucosal incision, and transoral retrieval. In EGCs, sentinel node navigation surgery was combined by using RI and indocyanine green injection. If stained sentinel nodes (SNs) had no metastasis by intraoperative histological assessment, NEWS with sentinel node basin dissection was conducted. The feasibility and efficacy of this technique was investigated by assessing short and middle term outcomes. NEWS was performed in 50 cases, including 41 SMTs and 9 EGCs between August 2013 and November 2017. The mean tumor size was 23.6 mm. In all cases, the procedure was completed in a mean procedural time of 202.6 min in SMT cases and 304.0 min in EGC cases, respectively, with 1 intraoperative perforation (2.0%). Final histological diagnoses were gastrointestinal stromal tumor (23), gastric cancer (8), leiomyoma (5), ectopic pancreas (5), neurinoma (3), no residual cancer after endoscopic resection (1), and others (5). R0 resection rate in 39 tumors was 97.4%. The mean discharge duration was 7.6 days following treatment. During the mean observational period of 24.5 months, overall and disease-free survival rates were 98% and 100%, respectively. In 1 EGC case who underwent NEWS with left gastric artery basin dissection, severe stasis because of adhesion to the peritoneum occurred, which required distal gastrectomy on the postoperative day 77. NEWS for gastric SMTs and EGCs appeared to be both feasible and safe. This non-exposed full-thickness resection technique by collaborative use of endoscopy and laparoscopy may be a useful option for minimally invasive local resection even for ulcerated SMTs or cancers without risk of tumor cell seeding due to the intentional perforation of the gastric wall.

Endoscopic Full-Thickness Resection Combined with Laparoscopic Surgery.

Endoscopic full-thickness resection combined with laparoscopic surgery was recently developed. These procedures could be categorized as “Cut first and then suture” and “Suture first and then cut”. “Cut first and then suture” includes laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS) and laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (LAEFR). Recent studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of LECS and LAEFR. However, these techniques are limited by the related exposure of the tumor and gastric mucosa to the peritoneal cavity and manipulation of these organs, which could lead to viable cancer cell seeding and the spillage of gastric juice into the peritoneal cavity. In the “Suture first and then cut” technique, the serosal side of the stomach is sutured to invert the stomach and subsequently endoscopic resection is performed. In this article, details of these techniques, including their advantages and limitations, are described.

Laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection for gastric subepithelial tumors originated from the muscularis propria layer: a pilot study with literature review

Objective: Laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (LAEFTR) has been suggested as an alternative to laparoscopic wedge resection in the treatment of gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs). It is expected to minimize the resection of the tissue surrounding the tumors and maintain the function of the remnant stomach. Here, we performed a prospective pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (LAEFTR) for patients with gastric SETs.Material and methods: We enrolled twelve patients who were diagnosed with gastric SETs with an intraluminal growth pattern or which is located in the gastric antrum between October 2011 and September 2013. LAEFTR was performed endoscopically using an endoscopic knife to make an incision half way around the tumor circumference and a laparoscopic resection around the remaining tumor circumference, followed by its laparoscopic removal. The feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of LAEFTR for gastric SETs were evaluated.Results: The median size of the tumors in twelve patients was 22 mm (21–33). Of the 12 patients, 8 received LAEFTR, while the others underwent conventional laparoscopic wedge resection, since their tumor outlines were clearly visible in laparoscopic view. In 8 patients who underwent LAEFTR, the mean total operation time (endoscopic procedure time/laparoscopic procedure time) were 117 (37/41) min. The tumors were completely resected with clear margin, and there was no perioperative and postoperative complications.Conclusions: LAEFTR currently seems to be the ideal treatment modality of intraluminal gastric SETs where their resection margins are difficult to define under laparoscopic guidance alone.

Laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection with basin lymphadenectomy based on sentinel lymph nodes for early gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. The incidence of gastric cancer in East Asia, including Korea and Japan, is higher than in other regions, so the screening system in these regions has evolved to diagnose those with gastric cancer at an early stage. 1 Therefore, the proportion of patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) in these areas has recently increased. Patients with EGC have an excellent prognosis after curative resection, owing to low rates of lymph node metastasis and distant recurrence in the peritoneum and liver relative to patients with advanced-stage gastric cancer. Because lymph node metastasis is limited to a small number of perigastric lymph nodes even in EGC, some patients have been treated with limited (D1þ) lymphadenectomy. 2 In contrast with standard surgical procedures that include extended (D2) lymphadenectomy for gastric cancer, D1þ lymphadenectomy can be easily performed to reduce postoperative morbidity. 3 However, despite this, a total or subtotal gastrectomy should still be performed for EGC because a D1þ lymphadenectomy includes lymph nodes around the major vessels feeding the stomach. Extensive gastric resection that includes resection of the pylorus and autonomic nerve fibers can have a negative impact on quality of life after surgery, owing to reflux gastritis and uncontrolled bowel movements. Considering the long survival time of patients with EGC, function of the stomach should be maintained after complete resection of gastric cancer. One of the evolving modalities to maintain gastric function after removal of gastric cancer is endoscopic resection. Although endoscopic resection has been reserved for patients with EGC who are very unlikely to have metastatic lymph nodes, the proportion of gastric cancer patients treated with endoscopic resection has gradually increased as more patients are being diagnosed with EGC. 4 Development of the endoscopic resection technique can eliminate the limitation with regard to the range of en bloc resection in cases of mucosal cancers without metastatic lymph nodes, and furthermore expand the depth of resection into the submucosal layer. 5 Therefore, several gastroenterologists have been performing endoscopic resections using the extended criteria for this procedure suggested by previous reports. 2,6 However, despite the many benefits regarding quality of life, the temerarious use of endoscopic resection should be limited due to the lack of clinical evidence and limited ability for the identification of metastatic lymph nodes. On the other hand, if it becomes possible to confirm lymph node status and to perform minimal lymph node dissection for patients with EGC who meet the expanded indications for endoscopic treatment, then local resection

A case of endoscopic full-thickness resection in a patient with gastric high-grade dysplasia unsuitable for endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Gastric high-grade dysplasia is an important premalignant lesion in gastric epithelial cells and has a high possibility of transforming to adenocarcinoma. Therefore, biopsy-proven high-grade dysplasia should be treated with en bloc resection methods such as endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). We report the case of a 63-year-old male patient, diagnosed with gastric high-grade dysplasia at the angle and lesser curvature side of the lower body. The patient was initially treated with ESD, although histopathology subsequently showed horizontal margin involvement. Since the lesion was diffusely edematous and margins were uncertain because of the previous ESD treatment, we chose to treat the patient with laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR). EFTR is a recently developed procedure, which uses both endoscopic and laparoscopic techniques to resect the full-thickness of the tissue. The final pathologic report revealed high-grade dysplasia and a focal intramucosal carcinoma of 0.8×0.7 cm. We conclude that EFTR can be an effective alternative treatment in gastric high-grade dysplasia unsuitable for ESD.

Recent developments in gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection: Towards the era of endoscopic resection of layers deeper than the submucosa

With technical advances in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), several variations of endoscopic procedure derived from ESD and fusion procedures of endoscopy and laparoscopy for upper gastrointestinal submucosal tumor and cancer have recently been developed. The former includes endoscopic muscularis dissection (EMD), submucosal endoscopic tumor resection (SET), endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection (ESTD) and endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR), and the latter includes laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS), laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (LAEFR), and laparoscopic lymphadenectomy without gastrectomy following ESD. In the present article, recent developments in gastric ESD and advanced procedures derived from ESD are discussed.

Successful treatment of duodenal carcinoid tumor by laparoscopy‐assisted endoscopic full‐thickness resection with lymphadenectomy

Reports on endoscopic full-thickness resection of the duodenum using the endoscopic submucosal dissection technique are rare. Here we present a case of a duodenal bulb carcinoid tumor successfully treated by laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (LAEFR). An asymptomatic 65-year-old woman had a 10-mm, submucosal tumor on the anterior wall of the duodenal bulb. Abdominal CT revealed an enlarged lymph node adjacent to the duodenum and pancreas. Although we informed the patient of the need for pancreatoduodenectomy with a lymphadenectomy, the patient expressly requested LAEFR. After negative nodal metastasis was confirmed by an intraoperative frozen section of the enlarged nodes, LAEFR was performed using the endoscopic submucosal dissection technique under the laparoscopic assistance. The duodenal wall defect was closed by laparoscopy with an Albert anastomosis. The entire circumferential margin of the specimen was histopathologically negative for carcinoid tumor cells. In summary, LAEFR enables en bloc and whole-layer excision of nonperiampullary duodenal lesions with a sufficient surgical margin, both vertically and laterally. LAEFR is a minimally invasive and effective treatment for selected patients with duodenal carcinoid tumor.

A Case of Laparoscopy-Assisted Endoscopic Full-Thickness Resection for Submucosal Tumor and Gallbladder Stone

A Case of Laparoscopy-Assisted Endoscopic Full-Thickness Resection for Submucosal Tumor and Gallbladder Stone

Endoscopic full-thickness resection with laparoscopic assistance as hybrid NOTES for gastric submucosal tumor

Laparoscopic wedge resection using a linear stapler is widely accepted as a treatment for gastric submucosal tumor (SMT). Although this surgery is simple, it can lead to excessive normal tissue removal. To avoid the latter, we have introduced endoscopic full-thickness resection with laparoscopic assistance, known as laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection (LAEFR). Herein, we present the preliminary results of LAEFR for gastric SMT patients. Four patients with gastric SMT underwent LAEFR. LAEFR consists of four major procedures: (1) a circumferential incision as deep as the submucosal layer around the lesion by the endoscopic submucosal dissection technique, (2) endoscopic full-thickness (from the muscle layer to the serosal layer) incision around the three-fourths or two-thirds circumference on the above-mentioned submucosal incision under laparoscopic supervision, (3) completion of the full-thickness incision laparoscopically from inside the peritoneal cavity, and (4) handsewn closure of the gastric-wall defect. LAEFR was successfully carried out without any intraoperative or postoperative adverse events. Mean operating time and estimated blood loss were 201 min and 27 mL, respectively. Contrast roentgenography on postoperative day 3 showed neither gastric deformity nor disturbance of gastric emptying in all the patients. LAEFR may be considered one of the so-called hybrid natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) techniques because a peroral endoscope advances into the peritoneal cavity. LAEFR enabled whole-layer excision as small as possible with an adequate margin. LAEFR is a safe and minimally invasive treatment for patients with gastric SMT, and could be a more reasonable and economical alternative to other laparoscopic procedures.

Successful treatment of early stage gastric cancer by laparoscopy-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection with lymphadenectomy

Laparoscopic local resection (full-thickness resection) is a useful alternative to total or subtotal gastrectomy for selected patients with early stage gastric cancer (EGC).1-4 This surgery can prevent the potential complications associated with gastrectomy, such as malnutrition and the postgastrectomy syndrome; therefore, it can improve the patient's quality of life.1-4 It also has several advantages over an endoscopic resection; the lymph-node status can be laparoscopically and/or histologically evaluated.