Exophytic inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the stomach in an adult woman: A rare cause of hemoperitoneum

Abstract

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) of the stomach in adults is extremely rare, with unpredictable prognosis. We present a 55-year-old woman with a gastric IMT She experienced sudden abdominal pain 4 d previously. Physical examination showed mild abdominal tenderness in the hypogastrium, but no palpable abnormal abdominal mass. Abdominal CT showed a mass of approximately 8 cm in the gastrocolic ligament. On laparoscopic exploration, unexpected hemoperitoneum of approximately 1.5 L of blood was found, and an exophytic gastric mass of approximately 10 cm, appeared from the anterior wall of the gastric body along the greater curvature. Laparoscopy further showed that non-clotting blood in the abdominal cavity seemed to be from the gastric tumor. After conversion to open surgery for more precise evaluation of the cause of hemoperitoneum and the large friable tumor, gastric wedge resection, including the tumor, was conducted. The final diagnosis was consistent with IMT that originated from the gastric wall. (C) 2008 WJG. All rights reserved.