[Endoscopic resection of esophageal leiomyoma with elastic band ligation]

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.

To report the endoscopic resection of an esophageal leiomyoma by using an elastic band ligation.

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.

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.