[Endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) is a safe and useful technique for endoscopic removal of submucosal tumors of the stomach and the esophagus in selected cases]

Submucosal tumors of stomach and esophagus are often detected incidentally during endoscopy and further characterized by endoscopic ultrasonography. After risk estimation such submucosal tumors are either controlled by watchful waiting or surgically resected. Nevertheless, symptomatic submucosal tumors should be treated. Endoscopic submucosal excavation (ESE) and submucosal tunneling endoscopic resection (STER) may represent an alternative non-surgical therapeutic option. Two cases of complete endoscopic resection of symptomatic submucosal tumors are reported: a small gastrointestinal stroma tumor (GIST) of the antrum and a 12 cm long esophageal lipoma. For selected cases, ESE of symptomatic submucosal tumors of stomach and esophagus represents a useful alternative compared to surgical removal particularly if mass is located in antrum or corpus, sized 20 mm and clearly defined by endoscopic ultrasonography.