Clinical feasibility of partial gastrectomy using non-exposure technique for the treatment of gastric submucosal tumors
Objective To study the clinical efficacy and analyze the feasibility of non-exposure technique (Clean-net) partial gastrectomy for the treatment of gastric submucosal tumors.Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 17 patients, who were diagnosed preoperatively with gastric submucosal tumors and treated by the same clinical team in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from January 2018 to November 2021.The cohort included 7 males and 10 females with an average age of (57.8±11.9) years.All patients underwent Clean-net partial gastrectomy, which involved laparoscopic incision through the seromuscular layer and tumor debulking without damaging the mucosal layer, and the therapeutic effects were evaluated.Results All 17 patients successfully completed the surgery without any cases of conversion to open surgery due to intraoperative complications.The average size of the resected tumors was (4.1±1.8) cm, with the largest tumor measuring 9.0 cm.The average duration of postoperative indwelling gastric tube was (2.5±1.9) days.One patient experienced postoperative fever, which was considered to be due to lung infection and resolved after treatment.The average time to resume a liquid diet postoperatively was (3.8±2.0) days, and the time of hospitalization was (6.5±1.8) days.Postoperative pathology revealed 12 cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (5 low-risk, 4 intermediate-risk, and 3 high-risk), 2 cases of cysts, 1 case of leiomyoma, 1 case of schwannoma, and 1 case of ectopic pancreas.All specimens had intact capsules.Conclusion Clean-net treatment of gastric submucosal tumors has a satisfactory short-term therapeutic effect, and the non-exposure technique is good for preserving gastric morphology, especially for postoperative gastric function recovery from tumors in the proximal cardia, and can be used as a function-preserving surgical procedure for gastric submucosal tumors in special regions (proximal cardia, proximal pylorus).