Resection of a gastric leiomyoma using combined laparoscopic and gastroscopic approach.

Laparoscopy has added a new perspective to the diagnosis and treatment of abdominopelvic disease. A wide variety of gastric procedures have been completed with laparoscopy in the past several years. The authors here present successful resection of a submucosal gastric leiomyoma laparoscopically with the combined use of intraoperative gastroscopy for localization. A 2.5 x 2.0 cm submucosal gastric nodule is resected with ample margins laparoscopically. Intraoperative endoscopy is used for accurate localization because the lesion was not visible to the laparoscope on the serosal surface of the organ. Laparoscopic surgery can be applied to the traditional surgical principles with equal efficacy in selected patients.