A Case of Gastric Suture Granuloma Suspected of Malignant Submucosal Tumor

A gastric suture granuloma is an uncommon postsurgical complication. When nonabsorbable sutures are used, the inflammation can persist months after the original procedure with the subsequent formation of an abscess around the sutures surrounded by granulation tissue. Suture granulomas are usually asymptomatic, and have clinical importance as a differential diagnosis of a gastric submucosal tumor. The incidence of suture granuloma is low using absorbable sutures in gastrointestinal anastomosis. We report a case of a 70 year old man diagnosed with a suture granuloma. Approximately 30 years earlier, he underwent primary closure due to gastric ulcer perforation. When a gastroscopy was performed to assess upper abdominal soreness, it revealed a submucosal tumor that indicated a malignancy, which was diagnosed as a suture granuloma after surgery. (Korean J Gastrointest Endosc 2007;35:395-398)