Leiomyoma of the esophagus: symptoms and treatment

Often people have discomfort in the esophagus. It can be felt by a person swallowing, discomfort, nausea, pain in the stomach, heartburn, belching. These signs indicate a pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. What could it be? For example, leiomyoma.

Benign neoplasm, which appears on the walls of the esophagus, bears such a name. Such a defect can be formed both from single nodes and from multiple ones. By itself, such a node looks like a pale pink outgrowth and can grow to 5 cm.

So, what is the esophageal leiomyoma and how to deal with such a defect, consider below.

Benign tumors arising in the esophagus

First of all, it is worth emphasizing that leiomyoma occurs in rare cases. As a rule, it is as a percentage of up to 5% of all tumor defects, and most of all it affects men.

Leiomyoma of the esophagus (ICD-10, this disease refers to code D13.0) is a benign neoplasm that is formed from the muscles or fibers of the organ that sends food to the stomach. Such a defect has a small round shape, but sometimes it can expand and create around itself an innumerable number of distinctive nodes that interfere with the basic function of the esophagus.

What can provoke this defect?

There are factors that can trigger the appearance of leiomyoma, namely:

• Malignant tumors in close relatives;

• Weak immune system;

• Smoking and drinking;

• Malnutrition.

These causes can influence the fact that the human body is malfunctioning, which leads to an endless and uncontrolled division of cells.

Symptoms indicating the appearance of leiomyoma

Leiomyoma of the esophagus almost always occurs without any signaling symptoms. Moreover, this neoplasm for a long time does not give itself out at all, because its growth is slow. It is for this reason that the symptoms of this defect also develop gradually.

But nevertheless the time comes when such a disease begins to manifest itself with the following symptoms:

• The first and main sign is difficulty in swallowing food;

• The appearance of discomfort behind the sternum, but such a symptom appears when the tumor has reached four centimeters;

• Frequent occurrence of heartburn and eructation;

• Strong salivation;

• Nausea and vomiting;

• Increased heart rate and arrhythmia;

• Dry cough, in which there is a desire to clear the jammed coma;

• loss of appetite.

The pain that occurs when swallowing or immediately after eating, is most often seen behind the sternum and gives back to the area of the back. Sometimes a dull pain in the area of the xiphoid process may disturb a person. But as regards the intensity of such painful sensations, they directly depend on how much the tumor has grown.

If the leiomyoma of the esophagus is relatively small, it will signal itself in the form of a spasm appearing in the esophagus. And sometimes there may be a sense of the presence of a foreign body behind the sternum.

It is worth noting that in a sick person with such a disease the general condition is not disturbed, since all of the above symptoms increase gradually.

Also, it should be separately noted that a person can have heart problems, in the case when the esophageal leiomyoma increases in size. This is because the more this tumor becomes, the stronger it presses on the human organs.

Additional signs

And when this happens, the person has additional symptoms, namely:

• Cough, in which there is no way to cough up a disturbing coma;

• Severe shortness of breath;

• Hoarseness of voice;

• Cyanosis and arrhythmia.

This happens when the tumor is localized in the region of bifurcation of the trachea. Therefore, if a person has at least a couple of the above-described signs, then the visit to the gastroenterologist should not be postponed. It is important to understand that untimely recourse to help can provoke the degeneration of leiomyoma into a malignant tumor. When do biopsies of the esophageal leiomyoma? About this - further.

How is this disease diagnosed?

Identify the leiomyoma using several types of techniques, namely:

• Conducting a full inspection;

• With the help of instrumental examination;

• On the basis of the patient's complaints.

If the tumor is removed in time, the chances of avoiding possible complications are great. Moreover, timely treatment will help to increase the life expectancy of a person.

The precise diagnosis is made with the help of an X-ray and an endoscope, so that the specialist can accurately determine the place where the tumor was formed and choose the necessary therapy. How clear are the images? Leiomyoma of the esophagus during endoscopy is well defined.

Endoscopic examination of the entire digestive tract is used to detect small nodular tumors. At the same time, if a person begins to worry about the signs of this disease, he should immediately consult a doctor who will conduct a thorough analysis of all complaints and send them for examination.

As a rule, a gastroenterologist can already suspect such an ailment on the basis of a patient's complaints. But in order to confirm suspicions, it is necessary to conduct an instrumental survey.

If a diagnostic method such as X-ray is used, the signs of such an ailment will be expressed as the filling of the esophagus at the point where the tumor was formed. At the same time, if an overview radiography is used, the shadow will be clearly visible in the image from the neoplasm.

As described above, leiomyoma may occur as a single neoplasm or as a variety of tumors. And in order to accurately confirm the diagnosis, use the method of esophagoscopy. With this method, it becomes possible to visualize the tumor in more detail, as well as assess the overall condition of the mucosa and take the material for a biopsy. It is the histological result that confirms whether it is a benign tumor. How important is the removal of the esophageal leiomyoma?

In what cases is surgery prescribed?

To get rid of a leiomyoma it is possible only by means of surgical intervention. But if you take into account its slow growth, then surgical removal is not resorted to when the given tumor is small.

Operative intervention is appointed only when the leiomyoma of the esophagus has become alarming. The operation is possible in those cases if the patient has no contraindications to such a procedure.

No surgical intervention:

• If the tumor is less than 5 cm;

• If malignant process is excluded;

• A person does not lose weight.

If a person has a small tumor, then the treating doctor only observes with a regular examination using endoscopy and an X-ray. These types of examinations help in time to react and conduct surgical intervention.

Methods of carrying out the operation

So, a person has a leiomyoma of the esophagus. Treatment is most often a surgical intervention. But only if this new formation is large.

To do this, use a laparoscopic method with the use of thoracotomy. And such a procedure is performed as follows: the doctor, leading the surgery, makes an incision of the chest and performs the task. This method is quite traumatic and requires additional time for a recovery postoperative period.

In the last few years, doctors have adopted a new technique, which helps get rid of this tumor without a cut of the chest. The essence of this manipulation is that the doctor simply makes four punctures in the abdominal cavity or in the sternum and removes the leiomyoma through these punctures. And the most important thing is the possibility not to touch the mucous membrane.

Such surgical intervention is carried out under visual control, which is performed with the help of esophagoscopy. A huge plus of this technique is that it is possible to completely eliminate such a complication as stenosis.

When the operative intervention is over, a person has four small incisions in diameter about five millimeters. As for the forecasts, they are all favorable, and at the moment no relapses have been observed in a long time.

Leiomyoma of esophagus: reviews

The reviews confirm that leiomyoma is a benign tumor that appears very rarely in humans. Its symptoms are signaled not to rush and manifest very slowly. And the treatment of such a defect is possible only with the help of a surgical procedure. In general, the forecast is quite favorable due to its slow development.

Conclusion

Summarizing all of the above, I would like to wish all people the same: let the neoplasms, even benign and with slow development, never disturb them. Well, if you have at least one of the above symptoms, you should immediately visit a gastroenterologist or therapist. It is important to understand that health is only in the hands of the person himself.