Successful treatment of an esophageal hemangioma by endoscopic injection sclerotherapy: report of a case

Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection: A Safe and Effective Alternative to Surgical Intervention for Esophageal Hemangioma

BACKGROUND

Hemangiomas represent 3% of all benign esophageal tumors. Conventional esophagectomy is the standard treatment with its invasive nature and possible surgical complications. Now, less invasive techniques are used with better results. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is one of the novel noninvasive methods used for en bloc removal of tumors. No available data about the use of ESD in removing esophageal hemangioma. Here, we studied the validity and safety of ESD as a minimally invasive procedure to remove esophageal hemangioma.

METHODS

Three patients were diagnosed with esophageal hemangioma and underwent ESD with en bloc resection. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) was performed before ESD to better evaluate the layer of origin and vascularity and guard against perforation. Patients were followed up postintervention to document possible complications.

RESULTS

Among the 3 studied patients, one presented with chronic abdominal pain, the second was complaining of dysphagia, and the third patient was diagnosed accidentally. Pathology reports confirmed the diagnosis of hemangiomas in all cases with no atypia and complete removal of the lesions. No complications were reported during the procedure or over the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

ESD is a proper, minimally invasive method with good en bloc resection that can be used in cases of esophageal hemangiomas.

Successful en bloc resection of large esophageal hemangioma by endoscopic submucosal dissection: A case report

RATIONALE

With the development of endoscopic techniques, endoscopic therapy began to play an important role in the management of esophageal hemangiomas.

PATIENTS CONCERNS

A large esophageal submucosal tumor (2.5 cm), which was suspected to be an esophageal hemangioma, was diagnosed in a 50-year-old woman.

DIAGNOSIS

Esophageal hemangioma INTERVENTIONS:: Endoscopic submucosal dissection was performed for tumor removal.

OUTCOMES

Histopathological results revealed hemangioma. No complication or recurrence was observed in the 17-month follow-up period.

LESSONS

Our successful experience showed that endoscopic submucosal dissection is an effective and a safe approach to treat large esophageal hemangiomas (2.5 cm).

Beyond hepatic hemangiomas: the diverse appearances of gastrointestinal and genitourinary hemangiomas

Hemangiomas are common lesions, best known for their appearance in the liver. Their appearance in less common locations, such as the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts, is less well known. We will review the typical and atypical appearance of hemangiomas in these locations on sonography, CT, and MRI.

[Esophageal Hemangioma Treated by Endoscopic Mucosal Resection: A Case Report and Review of the Literature]

Hemangioma of the esophagus is a rare form of benign esophageal tumor. It usually presents as a single lesion located in the lower third of the esophagus and is mostly asymptomatic. However, it may occasionally cause hematemesis and/or obstruction. Surgical resection is the conventional treatment modality for managing esophageal hemangioma, but less invasive approaches such as endoscopic therapy are recently becoming more widely employed. Herein, we report a case of a 54-year-old man who presented with an esophageal hemangioma that was successfully treated by endoscopic mucosal resection without any complications.

Benign esophageal tumors

Benign esophageal and paraesophageal masses and cysts are a rare but important group of pathologies. Although often asymptomatic, these lesions can cause a variety of symptoms and, in some cases, demonstrate variable biological behavior. Contemporary categorization relies heavily on endoscopic ultrasound and other imaging modalities and immunohistochemical analysis when appropriate. Minimally invasive options including endoscopic, laparoscopic, and thoracoscopic methods are increasingly used for symptomatic or indeterminate lesions.

A patient with esophageal hemangioma treated by endoscopic mucosal resection: a case report and review of the literature

In a 58-year-old male, upper digestive endoscopy revealed a protruding lesion in the esophagus on a medical examination. The patient was referred to the Department of Surgery in our hospital to undergo surgery. On the initial consultation, upper digestive endoscopy showed a smooth, soft, black purple, type II protruding lesion measuring approximately 25 mm at 35 cm apart from the incisor. For diagnostic treatment and patient's request, endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) was performed. The resected specimen measured 25 mm x 25 mm. The histological findings suggested cavernous hemangioma. To treat esophageal hemangioma, esohagectomy, tumor enucleation, or sclerotherapy has been performed. However, recently, thorough preoperative examination, such as endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), has facilitated endoscopic resection, such as EMR.

Treatment of benign esophageal tumors by endoscopic techniques

Gastrointestinal endoscopy has changed in recent years from a largely diagnostic to a highly therapeutic procedure. Technical advances in endoscopic ultrasound as well as new devices designed for endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) have opened the field to many therapeutic possibilities. Endoscopic resection is technically challenging, and while our colleagues in the Far East have been using such techniques for over a decade, EMR in the West is still in its infancy. The decision to resect a benign esophageal tumor must take several factors into account including whether the patient is symptomatic; characteristics of the particular tumor (including the potential for malignant transformation, risk of bleeding, and obstruction); and the available therapeutic options. Endoscopic resection of benign esophageal tumors is an attractive option as it is a safe and minimally invasive procedure. Its use is limited, however, to smaller tumors arising from the mucosal or submucosal layers. In this article we examine the techniques used in endoscopic mucosal resection and review the literature on this subject.

Minimally invasive techniques for resection of benign esophageal tumors

With the emergence of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), laparoscopy and thoracoscopy have become feasible and safe alternatives to open surgical procedures in the management of esophageal leiomyomas. The indications for MIS resection of leiomyomas at our institution include the presence of symptoms, confirmation of pathology to exclude malignancy, tumors greater than 2 cm in size or tumors that show evidence of growth. Our approach of choice is right video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for tumors of the thoracic esophagus and laparoscopy for tumors of the intra-abdominal esophagus or gastroesophageal junction. A detailed description of these surgical approaches is outlined in the following chapter. At our institution, nine patients, 8 males and 2 females with a mean age of 54 years (range 42-67 years) had a minimally invasive surgical resection of an esophageal leiomyoma between 1995 and 2001. The surgical approaches included right VATS enucleation (6) and laparoscopic enucleation (3). There were no major morbidities, including postoperative leaks or mortalities. The mean hospital stay was 2.3 days. All tumors were benign leiomyomas with average size of 2.73 cm (range 0.9-8 cm) and there was no evidence of recurrence at a mean follow-up of 10 months. Video-assisted enucleation has shown in our institution, as well as in others, that the procedure can be performed safely with low mortality and morbidity. A VATS or laparoscopic approach to the removal of leiomyomas should be the treatment of choice in centers experienced in minimally invasive surgery.

Minimal access thoracic surgery for esophageal hemangioma

Esophageal hemangioma is a rare tumor. This report describes the case of a 69-year-old woman with an esophageal tumor at the middle portion of the esophagus. The patient was successfully treated with minimal access thoracic surgery, and at the 6 month follow-up, the patient was free of any symptoms or recurrence.

Esophageal hemangioma successfully treated by fulguration using potassium titanyl phosphate/yttrium aluminum garnet (KTP/YAG) laser: a case report

Esophageal hemangioma is an extremely rare tumor. We report a case of a 39-year-old man who was found to have an hemangioma which extended from the hypopharynx to the upper thoracic esophagus revealed by endoscopic examination. Computed tomography (CT) images, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and angiography were useful in the diagnosis. He was successfully treated by fulguration using potassium titanyl phosphate/yttrium aluminum garnet (KTP/YAG laser) four times and no recurrence has been seen. This patient has since been followed up carefully and additional fulguration will be performed if necessary. KTP/YAG laser is useful for the treatment of a large hemangioma as a less invasive method.