[Duodenal leiomyoma - a rare case report]

Neoplasms of the small bowel are rare and comprise only 1-5% of all gastrointestinal neoplasms. The most frequent malignant tumors located in the small bowel are adenocarcinomas, lymphomas and neuroendocrine tumors. Rarely observed are gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), leiomyosarcomas and leiomyomas. Leiomyomas are most frequently seen in the jejunum followed by the ileum and lastly the duodenum. In most cases, a definite diagnosis of these tumors is not possible prior to surgical treatment. The treatment of choice for these tumors is surgery. Surgical treatment of duodenal leiomyomas has been local tumor excision, segmental duodenal resection and pancreaticoduodenectomy. The prognosis for these well-differentiated smooth muscle tumors is favorable. The authors of this article presented a case of a 61-year-old white man who was admitted to the hospital because of diagnosed duodenal tumor. The patient was suffering for periodically appearing blunt pain in the upper abdomen and periodic vomiting for three months. He underwent surgical excision of a benign duodenum neoplasm and left the ward on the seventh day after surgery. After operation, the symptoms of disease were alleviated. The author performed a review of the literature concerning duodenal leiomyoma.