Laparoscopic treatment of a Brunner's gland hamartoma: a case report.

Background Brunner's gland hyperplasia is a rare benign tumour and occurs most frequently in the upper part of the duodenum, mostly in the fifth or the sixth decade. Pathogenesis is still unknown. Symptoms are mostly absent, but larger lesions can cause gastric outlet obstruction or bleeding. Biopsies are necessary for differential diagnosis and to rule out cancerous changes. Mostly a resection is required. Methods A case report of a symptomatic Brunneroma is described with a review of the literature. Results: A 72-year-old female presented with melena due to a post-pyloric Brunneroma. After medical work-up a full laparoscopic resection was performed, with an uneventful recovery. Conclusion Brunner's gland hyperplasia is a benign lesion, although malignant transformation has been described. Small pedunculated Brunneromas can be resected endoscopically, but larger lesions need surgical treatment. A full laparoscopic treatment is possible and safe.