Endoscopic interventional treatment for gastric schwannoma: a single-center experience

Background and aims: Endoscopic Interventional Treatment is of little trauma and less complications in the treatment of gastric schwannoma and leads to faster recovery and fewer days of hospitalization. This study was aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic interventional therapy for gastric schwannoma, including endoscopic submucosal excavation, non-laparoscopic-assisted endoscopic full-thickness resection, endoscopic tunneling submucosal resection, and so on. Methods: Six patients of gastric schwannoma diagnosed by pathology examination were retrospectively analyzed ranging from Oct 2011 to Feb 2014 at Shandong Provincial Hospital affiliated to Shandong University. Five of the six patients accepted endoscopic interventional therapy. Results: Among the five patients, there were four males and one female, aged from 48 to 65 years old (the average age was 58 +/- 6.4). The lesions located at the fundus, the fundus-cardia, gastric body or gastric antrum, respectively, with the diameters ranged from 8 to 25 millimeter (the average was 17.1 +/- 7.8 mm). All the patients were performed endoscopic interventional therapy successfully. Among five patients, one patient was treated by endoscopic tunneling submucosal resection, two by endoscopic submucosal excavation, and the other two were given endoscopic full-thickness resection. Operation duration was about 43 to 83 minutes (the average was 57.6 +/- 16.1 minutes). The mass were completely removed, with limited bleeding. During the operation, perforation and pneumoperitoneum occurred in two patients, who finally recovered by endoscopic and conservative treatment. No bleeding, inflammation or infection occurred in these patients. The average follow-up time was (7.4 +/- 4.4) months. Neither recurrence nor metastasis was found during follow-up. Conclusion: Endoscopic interventional therapy is a safe and effective treatment for gastric schwannoma.