Endoscopic full-thickness resection with laparoscopic assistance

Endoscopic full-thickness resection of gastrointestinal (GI) tumors has been applied to the management of premalignant, early malignant, and indolent tumors of the GI tract to spare morbidity associated with traditional surgical approaches. Increasingly, a combined laparoscopic-endoscopic approach is being used to treat lesions that are not amenable to endoscopic resection alone. Case reports and small case series have demonstrated utility for lesions such as gastric GI stromal tumors, early gastric carcinomas, small duodenal masses, and colonic polyps or masses. Although promising, further research is necessary to determine the best indications for such an approach, and to compare long-term outcomes to those achieved with more traditional approaches. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.