Treatment of esophageal leiomyoma by minimally invasive surgery / 中国微创外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the application of minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of esophageal leiomyoma. Methods Clinical data of 26 patients with esophageal leiomyoma from September 1996 to October 2002 treated by minimally invasive surgery were reviewed retrospectively. Results Video-assisted thoracoscopic leiomyoma enucleations were performed in 23 patients, and a conversion to mini-thoracotomy was required in 3 of them because of dense pleural adhesion (2 patients) or location failure of tumor (1 patient). The remaining 3 patients underwent transjugular leiomyoma enucleation (2 patients) or esophagoscopic resection of leiomyoma (1 patient), respectively. All the procedures were completed smoothly and the postoperative recovery was uneventful, without mortality or severe complications. All the patients were pathologically diagnosed as leiomyoma after surgery. Follow-up for 2 ～ 73 months (mean,32.3months) found no recurrence. Conclusions Video-assisted thoracoscopic enucleation can be the first choice for the esophageal leiomyomas that derived from lamina propria, while esophagoscopic removal may be considered for those from muscularis mucosa.