Resection area of 15 mm as dividing line for choosing strip biopsy or endoscopic submucosal dissection for mucosal gastric neoplasm

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is effective treatment for mucosal gastric neoplasm. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), a novel EMR method, has been reported to enable en bloc resection more frequently than conventional EMR methods such as strip biopsy (SB). However, ESD requires more time than SB. A small lesion can be resected en bloc and effectively treated with SB. GOAL: To evaluate using a 15 mm resection area as the dividing line between SB and ESD prospectively. STUDY: SB was applied for resection area less than 15 mm (SB group) and ESD for 15 mm or larger resection (ESD group). We compared characteristics of lesions and outcomes of EMR between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Ninety lesions were prospectively assigned to SB group (36 lesions) and ESD group (54 lesions). The average neoplasm size was 9.0+/-3.9 mm in the SB group and 19.1+/-11.3 mm in the ESD group (P<0.01). The average resection time was 11.7+/-5.8 minutes in the SB group and 128.9+/-102.8 minutes in the ESD group (P<0.01). The complete resection rate was 91.6% in the SB group and 83.3% in the ESD group (P=0.25). The complication rate was not significantly different between SB group and ESD group (11.1% vs. 16.7%, P=0.12). During follow-up (median 23+/-5 mo), 1 patient in each group, who had piecemeal resection at original EMR had recurrent neoplasm. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric mucosal neoplasms which require only small (<15 mm) resection can be treated with SB, as effectively as with ESD.     

Usefulness and safety of SB knife Jr in endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal tumors

Use of a Dual knife has become commonplace for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of colorectal tumors at Hiroshima University Hosipital. A Hook knife has been also used in combination with the Dual knife, depending on the location of the lesion. We have had recent opportunities to use a scissors-type SB knife Jr. We retrospectively compared outcomes of colorectal ESD performed with the Dual knife in combination with the SB knife Jr versus the Hook knife. In conclusion, although the Hook knife was shown to be a very useful auxiliary device for colorectal ESD, the SB knife Jr. yielded better results than the Hook knife in terms of complete en block resection and avoidance of perforation. Use of the Dual knife with the SB Knife Jr shows good potential for improving complete en bloc resection rate and safety of technically difficult colorectal ESD.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection of esophageal squamous cell neoplasms.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has recently been developed for en bloc resection of stomach neoplasms, which results in high tumor eradication rates as well as a modality for the precise histologic assessment of the entire lesion. Application of the technique is desirable for esophageal squamous cell neoplasms (SCNs), but there have been no reports on the use of this procedure in the esophagus. METHODS: An ESD with methods similar to those used for resections of early gastric cancer was performed on 58 consecutive esophageal SCNs with preoperative diagnoses of intraepithelial neoplasm or intramucosal invasive carcinoma occurring in 43 enrolled patients. The therapeutic efficacy, complications, and follow-up results were assessed. RESULTS: The rate of en bloc resection was 100% (58/58), and en bloc resection with tumor-free lateral/basal margins (R0 resection) was 78% (45/58). There was no evidence of significant bleeding. Perforation occurred in 4 (6.9%) patients during the ESD, who were managed by conservative medical treatments after endoscopic closure of the perforation. Removal of 9 (16%) lesions resulted in esophageal stricture requiring balloon dilation after ESD. Of 40 lesions occurring in 31 patients fulfilling the criteria of node-negative tumors (mean follow-up, 17 months), 1 lesion resected by en bloc resection with nonevaluable tumor-free lateral margins (Rx [lateral] resection) recurred locally 6 months after ESD, which was treated successfully by a second ESD procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The ESD is applicable to the esophagus with promising results, but notification of risk is essential.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection vs endoscopic mucosal resection for superficial esophageal cancer

AIM:To investigate the effectiveness of endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD)and endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR)in treating superficial esophageal cancer(SEC).METHODS:Studies investigating the safety and efficacy of ESD and EMR for SEC were searched from the databases of Pubmed,Web of Science,EMBASE and the Cochrane Library.Primary end points included the en bloc resection rate and the curative resection rate.Secondary end points included operative time,rates of perforation,postoperative esophageal stricture,bleeding and local recurrence.The random-effect model and the fixed-effect model were used for statistical analysis.RESULTS:Eight studies were identified and included in the meta-analysis.As shown by the pooled analysis,ESD had significantly higher en bloc and curative resection rates than EMR.Local recurrence rate in the ESD group was remarkably lower than that in the EMR group.However,operative time and perforation rate for ESD were significantly higher than those for EMR.As for the rate of postoperative esophageal stricture and procedure-related bleeding,no significant difference was found between the two techniques.CONCLUSION:ESD seems superior to EMR in the treatment of SEC as evidenced by significantly higher en bloc and curative resection rates and by obviously lower local recurrence rate.     

内镜黏膜下剥离术治疗消化道早期癌及癌前病变

目的 探讨内镜黏膜下剥离术(ESD)治疗消化道早期癌及癌前病变的操作方法、疗效、并发症等.方法 采用前瞻性研究方法,按照入选标准选取食管、胃、结直肠早癌及癌前病变患者28例,共治疗病变29处.内镜下明确病变边界,采用氩离子凝固(APC)或针式刀在距病变边缘0.3～0.5 cm处环周点状凝固标记,再行黏膜下注射,使病变完全抬起,在距离标记点约0.5 cm处用针刀及IT刀环行切开黏膜至黏膜下层,用IT刀逐渐将黏膜剥离,部分病变回缩后用圈套器将病变黏膜圈套电凝切除.术中出血用热凝同止血钳、APC或金属夹止血.切除病变回收送病理.所有病例均按计划内镜随访.结果 本组29处病变中,22处病变完整切除,6处病变分块切除,1处病变未能全部切除.胃窦病变完整切除率为100.0%(12/12),胃角至贲门间病变为5/7,食管病变为3/5,结直肠病变为2/5.1例出现术后迟发出血.胃窦病变平均手术耗时最短,为48 min.20例随访1～12个月均无病变残留或复发.结论 ESD技术可以根据病变的大小及形状确定切除范围,对较大病变可以整块切除.缺点之一是操作过程较复杂、技术难度较大.     

USE OF SHORT NEEDLE KNIFE FOR ESOPHAGEAL ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION

Background: The emergence of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has enabled en bloc resection of lesions, which were conventionally difficult. However, ESD has problems of technical difficulty and high incidence of complications. In order to improve the procedure of marking and submucosal dissection in the esophagus, we modified and adjusted the standard needle knife to a short needle knife having a tip portion with a projection length of 1.5 mm. Methods: We treated 20 esophageal lesions with ESD using the short needle knife. We marked around the lesion with the short needle knife and performed mucosal incision of the entire circumference with a needle knife and an IT knife, then dissected the submucosal layer with the short needle knife. A Hook knife was also used in situations where muscular layers were located in the front‐view Results: Complete en bloc resection was performed in all 20 cases. The diameter of lesions ranged from 3 to 65 mm (median, 20 mm), and that of resected specimens ranged from 28 to 90 mm (median, 47 mm). Submucosal dissection was completed with the short needle knife alone in 13 cases in 20 (65%), and in seven cases (35%), in combination with so‐called Hook knife. The procedure was complicated in one patient with mediastinal emphysema. Conclusions: The short needle knife proved to be useful and safe in clear marking and submucosal dissection of esophageal lesions. It allows greater flexibility in the angle of insertion, and enables more effective and safer procedures because its full length can be inserted into the submucosa and fixed.     

ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION FOR SUPERFICIAL DUODENAL NEOPLASMS

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has emerged as a novel technique for achieving en bloc resection for superficial neoplasms limited to the mucosa. ESD was originally developed in Japan as a method of endoscopic resection of superficial gastric cancers. In our hospital, ESD has been used concurrently in other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, including the esophagus and colorectum from the beginning of its development. However, ESD in the duodenum is considered more challenging than other parts. From August 2005 to March 2008, a total of 15 superficial duodenal neoplastic lesions in 14 patients were treated with endoscopic resection. Of these, nine underwent ESD. We report our experience with duodenal ESD with a combination of ST hood and hook knife.     

ADVANTAGES OF USING THIN ENDOSCOPE‐ASSISTED ENDOSCOPIC SUBMUCOSAL DISSECTION TECHNIQUE FOR LARGE COLORECTAL TUMORS

Background: Our purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly developed non‐invasive traction technique known as thin endoscope‐assisted endoscopic submucosal dissection (TEA‐ESD) procedure for the removal of colorectal laterally spreading tumors (LST). Patients and Methods: A total of 37 LST located in the rectum and distal sigmoid colons of 37 patients were eligible for outcome analysis. Twenty‐one LST were treated with TEA‐ESD and were then retrospectively compared to 16 LST that had previously been treated with standard ESD. Tumor size, en bloc resection rate, procedure time, combined number of different electrical surgical knives used during each procedure and associated complications were evaluated in this case–control study. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in tumor size between the TEA‐ESD group and the ESD control group (43.6 ± 16 mm and 42.4 ± 14 mm, respectively). All LST were successfully resected en bloc in both groups. Procedure duration was shorter for the TEA‐ESD group than the ESD control group, although the difference was not statistically significant (96 ± 53 minutes vs 116 ± 74 minutes; P = 0.18). The percentage of cases in which only one electrical surgical knife was used during the entire procedure was significantly higher in the TEA‐ESD group compared to the ESD control group (85.7% vs 31.3%; P = 0.0005). There were no perforations in the TEA‐ESD group while the ESD control group experienced one perforation. At the present time, TEA‐ESD is limited to the rectum and distal sigmoid colon. Conclusion: It was technically easier, safer and more cost‐effective to perform ESD for LST in the rectum and the distal sigmoid colon using the newly developed TEA‐ESD traction technique.     

Matched case-control study comparing endoscopic submucosal dissection and endoscopic mucosal resection for colorectal tumors

Background and Aim: For large colorectal tumors, the en bloc resection rate achieved by endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) is insufficient, and this leads to a high rate of local recurrence. As endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been reported to achieve a higher rate of en bloc resection and a lower rate of local recurrence in the short‐term, it is expected to overcome the limitations of EMR. We conducted a matched case‐control study between ESD and EMR to clarify the effectiveness of ESD for colorectal tumors. Methods: Between April 2005 and February 2009, a total of 28 colorectal tumors in 28 patients were resected by ESD and were followed up by colonoscopy at least once. As a control group, 56 EMR cases from our prospectively completed database were matched. En bloc resection, complication and recurrence rates were compared between the two groups. Results: The mean sizes of the lesions were 27.1 mm in the ESD group and 25.0 mm in the EMR group. The en bloc resection rate was significantly higher in the ESD group (92.9% vs 37.5% with ESD vs EMR), and the rate of perforation was also significantly higher (10.7% vs 0%). All cases of perforation were managed conservatively. No recurrence was observed in the ESD group, whereas local recurrences were detected in 12 EMR cases (21.4%). Eleven of the 12 recurrences (91.7%) were managed endoscopically, and one required surgical resection. Conclusions: Endoscopic submucosal dissection is a promising technique for the treatment of colorectal tumors, giving an excellent outcome in comparison with EMR.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal neoplasia: possibility of standardization

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been positively applied to and gradually standardized for early stomach cancer, particularly in Japan. However, because it is technically difficult to perform ESD of the colon, ESD is not a commonly used technique. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of standardizing colorectal ESD. SETTING: ESD was performed at the Department of Endoscopy, Hiroshima University Hospital. DESIGN: Time required for ESD, rate of complete en bloc resection, complication, and postoperative local persistence and recurrence were investigated retrospectively in 70 cases of colorectal neoplasia, wherein the lesion was more than 20 mm in diameter. INTERVENTIONS: All lesions were resected by ESD. RESULTS: The average (+/-SD) time required for ESD was 70.5+/-45.9 minutes (range, 15-180 minutes), and the histologic rate of complete en bloc resection was 80.0% (56/70). With regard to complication, 1.4% of cases of postoperative hemorrhage (1/70) and 10.0% of cases of perforation (7/70) were observed in total. The rate of perforation was investigated with respect to the type of knife used for ESD and the period after the induction of ESD. The rate of perforation markedly decreased with the practice of the technique. Moreover, the rate of perforation was high when an insulated-tip diathermic knife was used; practicing this technique was insufficient to reduce the rate of perforation. The average duration of follow-up was 614+/-289.5 days, and no case of local persistence and recurrence or metastasis was observed. LIMITATIONS: The ESD technique depends on the level of each skill of each colonoscopist. CONCLUSIONS: With regard to ESD of the colon, complication, eg, perforation, could be decreased by sufficient practice and selection of an appropriate knife. It is suggested that, in the near future, ESD will be standardized for the colon.     

Endoskopische Submukosadissektion

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) was developed in Japan but has now also become permanently established in various centers in Europe. ESD is an endoscopic en bloc mucosal resection technique for the treatment of early cancers with a diameter >1 cm and also superficial precancerous lesions, which could only be removed unsatisfactorily in several fragments or with uncertain lateral safety margins using previous loop excision procedures. Using ESD a lesion is excised after circular marking and generous submucosal injection with a safety margin of approximately 5 mm and subsequently resected at the level of the submucosa with a 1-3 mm short diathermic knife. ESD requires high technical skills in interventional endoscopy and is more time-consuming than snare resection techniques. However, numerous studies have shown a clear superiority for ESD with respect to the R0 resection rate and the local recurrence rate. The present article gives a current review of the use of ESD in the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract and demonstrates perspectives of the procedure.     

Safety and curative ability of endoscopic submucosal dissection for superficial esophageal cancers at least 50 mm in diameter

Background and Aim: Limited data are available regarding the use of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for superficial esophageal cancers ≥50 mm in diameter. The aim of the present study was to investigate the safety and success of ESD for superficial esophageal cancers ≥50 mm. Methods: A total of 39 patients with superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma ≥50 mm were treated with ESD at Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases between January 2004 and April 2011, and were analyzed in a retrospective study. Results: En bloc resection was achieved in all patients. One mediastinal emphysema without perforation occurred during the procedure. Stricture developed in 11 of 39 patients, requiring a median of five endoscopic balloon dilatation procedures. Thirty‐three clinical epithelial or lamina propria mucosal cancers were treated by ESD with curative intent, of which invasion into the muscularis mucosa or deeper was detected in seven and lymphovascular involvement in three. The en bloc resection rate was 100% with a tumor‐free margin achieved in 92% of lesions. The curative resection and complication rates during ESD were 70% and 2.5%, respectively. Conclusion: ESD achieved a high en bloc resection rate of 92% with a tumor‐free margin. Curative resection rate of ESD in patients with clinical epithelial or lamina propria mucosal cancers was not low at 70%. However, the risk of stricture must be taken into account when considering the use of ESD in lesions ≥50 mm.     

Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Superficial Squamous Esophageal Neoplasia: A Meta-Analysis

Background and Aims

Although endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has grown popular in resecting lesions in the stomach, the application of ESD to the esophagus has been limited by greater technical difficulty. An increasing number of series have recently reported the application of ESD to esophageal lesions. The aim of the present systemic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ESD for esophageal lesions.

Methods

Comprehensive literature searches (1999–2012) were performed on studies that reported ESD for the removal of esophageal neoplasia. Primary outcome measures were pooled estimates of complete resection rate and en bloc resection rate. Secondary outcome measures were pooled estimates of complication rates.

Results

A total of 15 studies provided data on 776 ESD-treated lesions. The pooled estimate of complete resection rate was 89.4 % (95 % CI 86.2–91.9 %). The pooled estimate of en bloc resection was 95.1 % (95 % CI 92.6–96.8 %). The pooled estimates of complications of ESD such as bleeding, perforation, and stenosis were 2.1, 5.0, and 11.6 %, respectively.

Conclusions

ESD appeared to be an extremely effective technique to achieve complete resection of esophageal neoplasia. The very low rate of complications also shows the potential safety of this approach.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection using flexknife

Although the standard treatment for early-stage gastrointestinal tumors is still surgical resection, endoscopic resection has been accepted for some of these lesions, especially in Japan. However, the indication was limited until recently to achieve en bloc resection and prevent local recurrence. To overcome the disadvantage of endoscopic resection with conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), several investigators, including us, have developed a new endoscopic resection technique: endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). ESD is a remarkable technique that enables to remove the lesions en bloc regardless of size, shape, coexisting ulcer, and location. Nowadays, several knives are available for ESD, such as the needle knife, insulation-tipped (IT) knife, Hookknife, triangle-tipped (TT) knife, and Flexknife. Each of them has some merits and demerits, and the ways to use the knives are different. We summarize here how to use the Flexknife, which we made ourselves in cooperation with the Olympus Company, and how we use the technique in our hospital.     

A novel device for endoscopic submucosal dissection,the Fork knife

AIM： To introduce and evaluate the efficacy and technical aspects of endoscopic submucosal dissection （ESD） using a novel device, the Fork knife. METHODS： From March 2004 to April 2008, ESD was performed on 265 gastric lesions using a Fork knife （Endo FS） （group A） and on 72 gastric lesions using a Flexknife （group B） at a single tertiary referral center. We retrospectively compared the endoscopic characteristics of the tumors, pathological findings, and sizes of the resected specimens. We also compared the en b/oc resection rate, complete resection rate, complications, and procedure time between the two groups. RESULTS： The mean size of the resected specimens was 4.27 ± 1.26 cm in group A and 4.29 ± 1.48 cm in group B. The en b/oc resection rate was 95.8% （254/265 lesions） in group A and 93.1% （67/72） in group B. Complete ESD without tumor cell invasion of the resected margin was obtained in 81.1% （215/265） of group A and in 73.6% （53/72） of group B. The perforation rate was 0.8% （2/265） in group A and 1.4% （1/72） in group B. The mean procedure time was 59.63 ± 56.12 min in group A and 76.65 ± 70.75 min in group B （P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： The Fork knife （Endo FS） is useful for clinical practice and has the advantage of reducing the procedure time.     

Clinical outcomes of EMR for gastric tumors: historical pilot evaluation between endoscopic submucosal dissection and conventional mucosal resection

BACKGROUND: EMR is currently a standard treatment for mucosal gastric tumors. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been developed for en bloc resection. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the clinical outcomes of ESD compared with conventional EMR. DESIGN: Not applicable. SETTING: A historical control study was performed between EMR and ESD. PATIENTS: EMR of 245 gastric tumors was performed in 229 patients. Lesions were divided into two groups. Conventional EMR was performed in group A from February 1999 to June 2001, and ESD was performed in group B from July 2001 to March 2004. Group B was divided into subgroups: subgroup B-1 underwent ESD from July 2001 to March 2003 and subgroup B-2 from April 2003 to March 2004. INTERVENTIONS: All lesions were resected with conventional EMR or with ESD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: En bloc resection rate, rate in completeness of resection, required time, remnant ratio, and complications were evaluated. RESULTS: With regard to lesions >10 mm in size, the en bloc resection rate and the rate in completeness of resection of group B was significantly higher than that of group A (p < 0.01). Although the required time was longer in group B than A (p < 0.01), it was shorter in subgroup B-2 compared with B-1 (p < 0.05) with lesions < or =10 mm in size. The remnant ratio and perforation rate were not different between groups. LIMITATIONS: Not applicable. CONCLUSIONS: The en bloc resection rate was better with ESD than with conventional EMR. The required time was longer in ESD, but this disadvantage might be improved with experience.     

Advantages of endoscopic submucosal dissection versus endoscopic oblique aspiration mucosectomy for superficial esophageal tumors

Background and Aim: In the treatment of superficial esophageal tumors (SET), en bloc histologically‐complete resection reduces the risk of local recurrence. Endoscopic oblique aspiration mucosectomy (EOAM) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) have been applied to resect SET. The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine whether ESD is more advantageous than EOAM for SET. Methods: In the present study, there was a total of 122 patients in whom 162 SET were resected endoscopically at Hiroshima University Hospital. EOAM (83 lesions/63 patients) or ESD (79 lesions/59 patients) was performed. En bloc histologically‐complete resection rates, operation time, complications, and the local recurrence rate were studied. Results: In SET > 20 mm, the en bloc histologically‐complete resection rate was significantly higher with ESD than with EOAM (94% vs 42%, P < 0.001). In SET of 16–20 mm, the rate tended to be higher with ESD than with EOAM (100% vs 81%, P = 0.08). In SET < 15 mm, the rates did not differ significantly between groups. The average operation time was significantly longer for ESD than for EOAM, regardless of tumor size (49.7 ± 33.0 min vs 19.1 ± 6.1 min, P < 0.001). Complication rates did not differ significantly between groups. The local recurrence rate was significantly lower with ESD than with EOAM (0%, mean observation period: 18.9 months vs 9%, mean observation period: 30.7 months, P = 0.03). Conclusion: Although increased operation time with ESD remains problematic, SET >15 mm should be treated with ESD to reduce local recurrence. In lesions ≤15 mm, EOAM might be preferable, especially in high‐risk patients.     

Beyond the snare: technically accessible large en bloc colonic resection in the West: an animal study

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) and circumferential submucosal incision endoscopic mucosal resection (CSI‐EMR) are techniques for en bloc excision of large sessile colonic lesions. Our aims were to compare the efficacy, safety and learning curve of colonic hybrid knife (HK) ESD versus CSI‐EMR for en bloc excision of 50 mm diameter hemi‐circumferential artificial lesions in a porcine model. Patients and Methods: Two separate 50 mm diameter areas of normal recto‐sigmoid mucosa were marked out in each of ten pigs. One was excised with HK‐ESD using succinylated gelatin (SG) submucosal injection. The other was isolated with CSI with the Insulated Tip Knife 2 followed by SG submucosal injection then EMR with a large snare. Euthanasia and colectomy was performed at 72 h followed by blinded histopathology assessment. Results: En bloc excision rates were: HK‐ESD 100% versus CSI‐EMR 20% (P = 0.008). The mean number of resections per lesion was HK‐ESD 1 versus CSI‐EMR 3 (P = 0.001). The mean dimensions of the largest specimen per technique were HK‐ESD 63 × 54 mm versus CSI‐EMR 49 × 41 mm (P = 0.005). Procedure duration mean was HK‐ESD 54 min versus CSI‐EMR 22 min (P < 0.001). When procedure duration was adjusted for the size of the resected en bloc specimen, a statistically significant and accelerated learning effect was noted for HK‐ESD (r = ?0.83, P = 0.003). There were no perforations and no significant bleeding. Conclusions: HK‐ESD with SG submucosal injection is superior to CSI‐EMR for en bloc excision of 50 mm diameter lesions in a porcine model. The technique is rapidly learnt. This novel approach may lower the barrier to colonic ESD for Western endoscopists.     

Advantage of endoscopic submucosal dissection compared with EMR for early gastric cancer

BACKGROUND: In EMR of early gastric cancer (EGC), en bloc resection reduces the risk of residual cancer. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) now allows en bloc resection of large EGCs. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively determine whether ESD is more advantageous than EMR for EGCs. DESIGN: EMR (825 lesions, 711 patients) or ESD (195 lesions, 185 patients) was performed. The en bloc resection rate, histologically complete resection rate, operation time, complications, and local recurrence rate were studied in relation to ulceration. SETTING: Hiroshima University Hospital. PATIENTS: Subjects comprised 896 patients in whom 1020 EGCs were resected endoscopically from 1990 to 2004. RESULTS: In cases without ulceration, en bloc and histologically complete resection rates were significantly higher with ESD than with EMR, regardless of tumor size. The frequency of ulceration did not differ significantly between groups. Average operation time was significantly longer for ESD than for EMR, regardless of tumor size. Also, regardless of ulceration, the incidence of intraoperative bleeding was significantly higher with ESD (22.6%) than with EMR (7.6%). Delayed bleeding did not differ. In cases with ulceration, the incidence of perforation was significantly higher with ESD (53.8%) than with EMR (2.9%). Local recurrences were treated by incomplete EMR (en bloc, 2.9%; piecemeal, 4.4%). No patient experienced recurrence after ESD. CONCLUSIONS: ESD increased en bloc and histologically complete resection rates and may reduce the local recurrence rate. Increased operation time and complication risks with ESD in comparison with EMR remain problematic. Special measures are necessary for ESD of ulcerated lesions to reduce the rates of perforation and incomplete resection.     

Endoscopic submucosal dissection allows curative resection of locally recurrent early gastric cancer after prior endoscopic mucosal resection

BACKGROUND: Repeat endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) to cure locally recurrent early gastric cancer (EGC) is difficult to perform because the initial EMR causes submucosal fibrosis; however, ESD allows submucosal dissection through the fibrosis and provides an en bloc specimen. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the safety and efficacy of ESD and compare the results to historical controls. DESIGN: This was a retrospective, case-control study. PATIENTS: We used our prospectively entered database (1993-2003) to identify 64 patients who had locally recurrent EGC after EMR. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: We defined the resections as curative when the lateral and vertical margins were free of cancer and repeat endoscopy showed no recurrent disease. RESULTS: Among 46 patients who underwent ESD, 41 (89.1%) en bloc resections were achieved compared to none in 18 conventional procedures (P < .0001). The specimen of 1 lesion (2.4%) out of 41 en bloc resections was histologically nonevaluable, compared with 10 lesions (43.4%) in 23 piecemeal resections (P < .0001). Three residual tumors (27.3%) were found in the 11 nonevaluable specimens. Three perforations occurred during ESD; all were successfully treated endoscopically with endoclips. LIMITATIONS: The limitation of the study was retrospective design. CONCLUSIONS: ESD provides high en bloc resection rate for locally recurrent EGC after previous EMR. In turn, en bloc resections allow precise histological staging to be assessed and prevent residual disease and recurrence.