UNLABELLED: Leiomyoma is the most frequent esophageal benign tumor. It represents 70% of these tumors and 1 to 8% of all esophageal tumors. The majority of cases are asymptomatic and are discovered by chance in endoscopic examinations, and a conservative management is adopted. An endoscopic or surgical treatment can be applied in symptomatic cases, basically depending on the size and the underlying layer. OBJECTIVE: To report the endoscopic resection of an esophageal leiomyoma by using an elastic band ligation. CASE REPORT: A 55 year-old man complained of prolonged upper dysphagia with solids during three months. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed and an elevated lesion of 1 cm in diameter was found in the esophagus, at 25 cm from the upper dental arcade, with smooth surface and adjacent areas of normal mucosa. It was interpreted as a submucosal lesion. A hypoechoic mucosal and submucosal formation with well delimited borders was observed in an endoscopic ultrasonography. The lesion was resected by using an endoscopic band ligation and a subsequent section with a polypectomy snare. The patient evolved uneventfully and was discharged in 24 hours. The endoscopic examinations during the follow-up showed the healing of the resulting scar. Pathologists diagnosis was esophageal leiomyoma. CONCLUSION: The elastic band ligation is a simple, safe, effective and cheap method to be taken into account for the treatment of mucosal and submucosal esophageal lesions.
UNLABELLED: Leiomyoma is the most frequent esophageal benign tumor. It represents 70% of these tumors and 1 to 8% of all esophageal tumors. The majority of cases are asymptomatic and are discovered by chance in endoscopic examinations, and a conservative management is adopted. An endoscopic or surgical treatment can be applied in symptomatic cases, basically depending on the size and the underlying layer. OBJECTIVE: To report the endoscopic resection of an esophageal leiomyoma by using an elastic band ligation. CASE REPORT: A 55 year-old man complained of prolonged upper dysphagia with solids during three months. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed and an elevated lesion of 1 cm in diameter was found in the esophagus, at 25 cm from the upper dental arcade, with smooth surface and adjacent areas of normal mucosa. It was interpreted as a submucosal lesion. A hypoechoic mucosal and submucosal formation with well delimited borders was observed in an endoscopic ultrasonography. The lesion was resected by using an endoscopic band ligation and a subsequent section with a polypectomy snare. The patient evolved uneventfully and was discharged in 24 hours. The endoscopic examinations during the follow-up showed the healing of the resulting scar. Pathologists diagnosis was esophageal leiomyoma. CONCLUSION: The elastic band ligation is a simple, safe, effective and cheap method to be taken into account for the treatment of mucosal and submucosal esophageal lesions.