Common signs, uncommon condition: A case report of a 41-year-old woman with a large left-sided esophageal hiatus hernia and a benign esophageal leiomyoma

Abstract

Benign esophagus tumors are lesions rarely found in the general population. Leiomyomas, the most common of them, arise from the submucosal muscularis propria of the esophagus. They remain asymptomatic for a long time. The lack of typical symptoms, the non-specific abdominal complaints, and the very rare occurrence of these tumors in the population lead to diagnostic failures. This article describes a case of 41-year-old female patient diagnosed with a round lesion found in the chest X-ray. The CT scan revealed a large esophageal hiatal hernia extending to the left ventricular wall. She was qualified for surgical treatment. During the preparation of the abdominal part of the esophagus, a solid tumor, covering half of the esophageal circumference, was found in its wall. The neoplasm was resected. The histopathological examination revealed Leiomyoma. To summarize: benign esophageal tumors are lesions that can cause many diagnostic challenges in routine medical practice. In addition, they may not be visible in imaging studies, especially when located circumferentially or intramurally. In clinical practice, non-specific symptoms affecting the upper gastrointestinal tract are frequently encountered. These symptoms are typically caused by common and non-serious underlying conditions. The objective of this article is to highlight the rare causes of these symptoms, with the aim of reducing the risk of misdiagnosis in the future.

Keywords: abdominal pain; esophageal neoplasms; hiatal hernia; leiomyoma.