[Fibrovascular esophageal polyp--diagnosis and therapy]

Fibrovascular polyps are extremely rare benign neoplasms of the esophagus. The most prominent clinical symptom is enoral tumor regurgitation, which may lead to asphyxiation by pharyngeal impaction. Usually fibrovascular polyps cause dysphagia and progressive weight loss. Diagnosis by endoscopy and barium swallow may be unexpectedly difficult. The most frequent incorrect diagnoses are achalasia or an intramural or mediastinal tumorous mass compressing the esophagus. CT scan and MR imaging are of little help. Small polyps may be resected endoscopically by means of electrocautery or Nd:YAG laser ablation. In most cases, however, surgical resection is required. Since the basis of the polyp is usually located subcricoidally, tumor exposure and resection are achieved by esophagotomy via a left cervical approach. Thoracotomy is seldom required.