Geigy's first "full-thickness duodenal resection combined with endoscopic suturing" resection of gastrointestinal stromal tumor in a man with no recurrence in 4 years

Mr. Huang (right) was able to get out of bed and move around the same day after the operation. After 4 years of follow-up, there has been no recurrence. (Provided by Chiayi Christian Hospital)

[Reporter Wang Shanyan/Chiayi Report] A 63-year-old man surnamed Huang was found to have a gastrointestinal stromal tumor of about 2 cm in the duodenum during an examination five years ago. In 2022, he underwent a "full-thickness duodenal resection with endoscopic suturing" at Chiayi Christian Hospital.

Jiage held a press conference today (10th), and a man surnamed Huang appeared to share his journey. Zhou Juguang, deputy director of the Department of Internal Medicine at Jiage, said that the duodenum is deep, has a thin intestinal wall, and is close to the openings of the pancreas and bile duct, making it one of the most difficult areas for gastrointestinal endoscopic treatment. International literature shows that even if only superficial lesions are removed, the intraoperative perforation rate of duodenal endoscopic submucosal dissection is still about 15%. If traditional surgery is used to remove part of the duodenum, or even involve pancreatic resection, it will impose a heavy burden on the patient's body. Especially if the tumor grows in the muscle layer, the intestinal wall must be completely cut to remove the tumor. After the incision, the entire intestinal wall must be closed, otherwise serious complications may occur.

The Geigy team used advanced endoscopic technology to complete this highly difficult treatment. The tumor was completely removed through endoscopic submucosal dissection and endoscopic full-thickness resection. Finally, the endoscopic suturing system was used to suture the full-thickness intestinal wall gap from the intestine. "Dissection, full-thickness resection, and complete suturing" were performed in the intestine in one go. The relevant results have been published in the international journals "Endoscopy" and "Journal of the Taiwan Medical Association".

Zhou Juguang said, "Not only must it be cut out, but more importantly, it must be sutured back without recurrence." Some digestive tract tumors that had to be treated surgically in the past may have the opportunity to be treated endoscopically in the future, subject to the indications and safety conditions, to reduce physical wounds and surgical burden.

Geigy released the first full-thickness duodenal resection combined with endoscopic suturing, eliminating the risk of major surgery for patients. (Provided by Chiayi Christian Hospital)

Suturing is performed in the intestine through an endoscopic suture system. (Provided by Chiayi Christian Hospital)