title: Esophageal leiomyomatosis -- an unusual cause of pseudoachalasia.
abstract: Esophageal leiomyomatosis is a rare hamartomatous disorder with varied presentation. In the literature, it is described mostly in children, and is associated with Alport's syndrome. A case of leiomyomatosis that presented as achalasia not associated with Alport's syndrome is described in a 35-year-old woman with a 16-year history of dysphagia. Barium swallow showed a smooth narrowing at the lower end of the esophagus with a longer than usual stricture length. Endoscopy showed a dilated esophagus with a submucosal nodule in the region of the cardia. A computed tomography scan revealed circumferential thickening of the esophagus involving the gastroesophageal junction, with fat planes maintained with the adjacent structure. Endoscopic ultrasound demonstrated a lesion arising from the muscularis propria. The manometry findings were suggestive of achalasia. She underwent transhiatal esophagectomy with gastric pull-up. Leiomyomatosis should be considered as a cause of psuedoachalasia in patients with symptoms suggestive of achalasia and atypical barium findings. Attempts should be made to confirm the diagnosis preoperatively using computed tomography and/or endoscopic ultrasound. Esophagectomy is the treatment of choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, AIIMS, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: S Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Saluja
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: T Kanti
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000209:etiology*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018231:Leiomyomatosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery