Merendino procedure as an alternative to total gastrectomy in the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the gastroesophageal junction: A case series

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the alimentary canal and are postulated to have originated from the interstitial cells of Cajal. We present three patients with an age range from 43 to 63 years old diagnosed with GIST of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ). All patients were noted to have submucosal lesions through gastroscopy, in which the largest was 5 cm × 7 cm in size. All of them underwent emergent surgery due to various reasons, and the Merendino procedure was performed as the surgery of choice. All of them recovered well and were discharged on days 10–12. The histopathological examination demonstrated a GIST. Merendino procedure can improve patients' digestive functions and nutritional status, leading to a better quality of life after surgery with a reduction in postoperative complications. This case series demonstrated proximal gastrectomy with Merendino procedure reconstruction as a safe, efficient, and feasible approach in treating gastric GISTs at the GEJ.