title: Endoscopic treatment of oesophageal leiomyoma: four new cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The advent of endoscopic techniques in the last decades has produced a change in the approach of the oesophageal leiomyoma. The aim of the study is to explain our experience in the laparoscopic surgery of the oesophageal leiomyoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We realised a retrospective study of the oesophageal leiomyoma operated on in our centre by the endoscopic approach between 2001 and 2004. There were two females and two males. All were symptomatic and pyrosis was the most frequent symptom. The preoperative study was an oral endoscopy and barium swallow. In all the cases enucleation was performed, two by thoracoscopy and two by laparoscopy approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean operating time was 230 min. No deaths or intraoperative complications occurred and there were no cases of conversion to open surgery either. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 3.25 days (range 2-4 days). There was no case of recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The enucleation is an easier procedure and constitutes the therapy of choice of the oesophageal leiomyoma. We think that muscle borders should be closed after enucleation and that biopsy is not indicated preoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. papriego@hotmail.com
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Priego
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cabañas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pérez de Oteyza
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fresneda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies