Gastric resection (also known as partial gastrectomy) is a specialized surgical procedure designed to remove a diseased or damaged portion of the stomach. This surgery is usually performed with minimally invasive techniques, and the medical name for this procedure is “Laparoscopic Gastric Resection.”

About the Stomach

The stomach is a muscular, J-shaped organ located in the upper left side of the abdomen. Its main purpose is to receive food from the esophagus, mix it with digestive enzymes and acids, and slowly empty the broken-down contents into the small intestine.

Removal of a portion of the stomach modifies its volume but still allows for digestion. While patients may need to adapt to eating smaller, more frequent meals, partial removal of the stomach is not associated with a permanent inability to digest food in most people.

What causes stomach problems?

Stomach problems that require surgical resection are usually caused by the presence of severe peptic ulcers, benign growths, or stomach cancer.

It is uncertain why some people develop certain gastric tumors, but risk factors include chronic H. pylori bacterial infections, a diet high in smoked or salted foods, smoking, and age. Some people may also have a family history of gastric conditions. There is no known means to completely prevent all stomach diseases.

These conditions may damage the stomach lining, cause internal bleeding, or block the passage of food into the intestines, resulting in sharp abdominal pain, chronic nausea, feeling full quickly, and significant unintended weight loss.

How are these problems found and treated?

Upper endoscopy (inserting a small camera down the throat) is most commonly used to find stomach abnormalities and take biopsies. In a few more complex cases, other X-ray tests such as a CT scan or a barium swallow may be used to evaluate gastric disease.

Some conditions, like minor ulcers, can be temporarily managed by making dietary adjustments and taking acid-reducing medications. However, for severe, bleeding, or cancerous growths, medical treatment has a low success rate. Symptoms and complications will eventually continue unless the diseased portion of the stomach is removed.

Surgical removal of the affected stomach tissue is the time-honored and safest treatment for severe gastric disease. The laparoscopic approach utilizes small keyhole incisions and surgical staplers to precisely remove the diseased area while minimizing recovery time and scarring.