Endo-laparoscopic rendezvous approach for pericardia with gastric posterior wall of gastrointestinal stromal tumor: Analysis of 52 consecutive cases

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor in the gastrointestinal tract and most frequently developed in the stomach, and surgical therapy is limited on removal of the tumor lesion. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical values of endo-laparoscopic rendezvous approach for pericardial GISTs within gastric posterior wall. Materials and Methods: Surgical outcome and clinical data of 52 patients with pericardial GISTs within gastric posterior wall treated at Tianjin Peoples' Hospital from January 2004 to October 2013 were analyzed. Endo-laparoscopic rendezvous approach was used as an operative procedure for tumor resection ranged from 10 to 50 mm. Endoscopic ultrasound, computed tomography and microscopic findings all certified the gastric spindle type GIST locating in the submucosa to muscle proper. Results: Endo-laparoscopic rendezvous approach was attempted in 52 patients (male/female: 31/21) with median age of 51 years (25-71 years). The median operating time was 80 min (range: 40-120 min) and median intra-operative blood loss was 26 ml (range: 10-50 ml). The median hospital stay was 5 days (range: 4-6 days), while the median tumor size was 25 mm (range: 7-50 mm). All operative margins were clear. There were no recurrences or metastases of all patients in a median follow-up of 24 months (range: 6-36 months). Conclusions: Endo-laparoscopic rendezvous approach is considered to represent the next revolution in surgery. The new technique is reliable and effective in clinical application, due to the advantages of accurate and quick localization for pericardial GIST within gastric posterior wall.