A CASE OF MULTIPLE SUBMUCOSAL CYSTS OF THE STOMACH

Abstract

Multiple submucosal cysts of the stomach are relatively uncommon and are difficult to diag-nose without surgical intervention. Present paper reports a case of multiple submucosal cysts of the stomach in which preoperative diagnosis was affirmed with biopsied specimen taken from the submucosal lesion after an endoscopic electro-dissection of the overlying mucosa. The histology of the resected stomach later confirmed this preoperative diagnosis. Cyst-formation in the stomach is thought to be either congenital (enterogenous cysts) acquired. Judging from the histology, this case was considered to be of an acquired type The recurring chronic gastritis accompanied by mucosal destruction could have led to this cyst-formation during the process of mucosal repair. There were converging folds in the stomach. This rugal convergencies was, however, not associated with any histological evidence of ulcerative alteration in the mucosa. On the other hand, histology demonstrated a cyst opening to the gastric fovea. The shrinkage of such a cyst might result in this rugal convergency.