The Clinical Significance of Extraluminal Compressions According to the Site of the Stomach

Kim, Yong Wuk; Kim, Gwang Ha; Kim, Dong Uk; Kim, Il Du; Jung, Kyung Sik; Jung, Woo Jin; Choi, Cheol Woong; Kang, Dae Hwan; Song, Geun Am

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
It can be difficult to differentiate an extraluminal compression from a true submucosal tumor (SMT) in the stomach. The best method for differentiating an extraluminal compression from a true SMT is endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). Extragastric compression is frequently observed, but its clinical significance has rarely been reported on. We evaluated the clinical findings of extraluminal compression according to the site of the stomach.
METHODS
Ninety-one patients were diagnosed by EUS as having extragastric compressions from January 2006 to July 2008. Abdominal sonography or computed tomography was performed in some cases.
RESULTS
The causes of normal structures (64 cases) were the vessels, spleen, intestine, gallbladder, liver, mesentery, pancreas and kidney. The causes of pathologic lesions (27 cases) were hepatic cyst, distended gallbladder with sludge, splenic cyst, hepatic hemangioma, polycystic hepatic and renal disease, pancreatic cyst, renal cyst, calcified lymph node and hepatocelluar carcinoma. The great curvature of the fundus was the most frequent site of extraluminal compressions. The lesions in the anterior wall of the body showed a higher frequency of pathologic lesions than did those lesions in other sites.
CONCLUSIONS
EUS is useful for finding the causes of extragastric compression. Careful evaluation is needed because many lesions in the anterior wall of the body of the stomach were due to pathologic causes.