Laparoscopic Intragastric Surgery Using GelPort

Abstract

In laparoscopic intragastric surgery for early gastric cancer and submucosal tumors, three trocars are routinely inserted in the gastric lumen. We placed a GelPort hand assist device through a 5-cm transverse incision in the upper abdomen, and inserted the trocars into the gastric lumen through the gel seal cap, snapping the gel seal cap on and off during the operation. This makes it possible to use an open technique in which trocars are inserted into the gastric lumen, and to close the trocar sites in the gastric wall. We believe that the technique described here is easier and saves time compared with inserting trocars and closing trocar sites laparoscopically.