Often people experience discomfort in the esophagus. There may be lumps when swallowing, discomfort, nausea, stomach pain, heartburn, belching. These signs indicate a pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. What could it be? For example, leiomyoma.
A benign neoplasm that appears on the walls of the esophagus bears this 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 growth and can grow up to 5 cm.
So, what is esophageal leiomyoma and how to deal with such a defect, we consider below.
Benign tumors in the esophagus
First of all, it is worth emphasizing that leiomyoma occurs in rare cases. As a rule, it accounts for up to 5% of all tumor defects as a percentage, and men are most exposed to it.
Esophageal leiomyoma (ICD-10, this disease is denoted by 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 grow and create around itself countless peculiar nodes that impede the fulfillment of the main function of the esophagus.
What can provoke this defect?
There are factors that can provoke the appearance of leiomyoma, namely:
- malignant tumors in close relatives;
These reasons can affect the fact that a malfunction occurs in the human body, which leads to endless and uncontrolled cell division.
Symptoms indicating the appearance of leiomyoma
Esophageal leiomyoma almost always occurs without any signaling symptoms. Moreover, this neoplasm for a long time does not give itself away at all, since its growth is slow. It is for this reason that the symptoms of this defect also develop gradually.
But still there comes a time when such an ailment begins to declare itself with the following symptoms:
- the first and main symptom is difficulty swallowing food;
- the appearance of discomfort behind the sternum, but such a symptom appears when the neoplasm has reached four centimeters;
- frequent occurrence of heartburn and belching;
- increased heart rate and arrhythmia;
- dry cough, in which there is a desire to cough a stuck lump;
The pain that occurs when swallowing or immediately after eating food, most often manifests itself behind the sternum and gives to the back. Sometimes a person can be disturbed by dull pain in the xiphoid process. But as for the intensity of such pain, they directly depend on how much the tumor has grown.
If the leiomyoma of the esophagus is relatively small, then it will signal itself in the form of a spasm that appears in the esophagus. And sometimes there may be a feeling 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 violated, since all of the above symptoms increase gradually.
It is also worth highlighting that a person may have heart problems, in the case when the esophageal leiomyoma increases in size. This happens for the reason that the larger this tumor becomes, the more it presses on human organs.
Additional signs
And when this happens, a person has additional symptoms, namely:
- cough, in which there is no way to cough the interfering lump;
- severe shortness of breath;
This happens when the tumor is localized in the bifurcation of the trachea. Therefore, if a person has at least a couple of the above symptoms, then a visit to a gastroenterologist should not be postponed. It is important to understand that untimely seeking help can provoke the degeneration of leiomyoma into a malignant tumor. When do a biopsy of the esophagus leiomyoma? About it - further.
How is this disease diagnosed?
Leiomyoma is detected using several types of techniques, namely:
- conducting a full inspection;
- using instrumental examination;
- based on patient complaints.
If the tumor is removed in time, then the chances of avoiding possible complications are great. Moreover, the treatment started on time will help to increase the life expectancy of a person.
An accurate diagnosis is made using an x-ray and an endoscope, so that the specialist has the opportunity to accurately determine the place where the tumor formed, and select the necessary therapeutic therapy. How clear are the images? Esophageal leiomyoma with endoscopy is well defined.
To detect small nodular tumors, an endoscopic examination of the entire digestive tract is used. Moreover, if a person began to worry about the signs of this disease, then he should immediately consult a doctor who will conduct a thorough analysis of all complaints and send for examination.
As a rule, a gastroenterologist can suspect such an ailment already on the basis of the patient's complaints. But in order to confirm suspicions, it is necessary to conduct an instrumental examination.
If a diagnostic method such as X-ray is used, then the signs of such an ailment will be expressed as filling the esophagus at the point where the tumor formed. Moreover, if a survey radiography is used, then the shadow from the neoplasm will be clearly visible in the image.
As described above, leiomyoma can occur as a single tumor or as multiple tumors. And in order to accurately confirm the diagnosis, use the method of esophagoscopy. Using this method, it becomes possible to visualize the tumor in more detail, as well as assess the general condition of the mucous membrane and take material for biopsy studies. It is the histological result that confirms whether it is a benign tumor. How necessary is the removal of esophageal leiomyoma?
In what cases is surgery prescribed?
You can get rid of leiomyoma only with the help of surgical intervention. But if you take into account its slow growth, then surgical removal is not resorted to when this tumor is small.
Surgical intervention is prescribed only when the esophagus leiomyoma has become rampant. The operation is possible in cases where the patient has no contraindications to such a procedure.
Surgical intervention is not carried out:
- if the tumor is less than 5 cm;
- if a malignant process is excluded;
- man does not lose weight.
If a person has a small tumor, then the attending physician only observes with regular examination using endoscopy and x-rays. These types of examinations help to react and carry out surgical intervention in time.
Methods of operation
So, a human esophagus leiomyoma was found. The treatment most often involves surgical intervention. But only if this neoplasm is large.
To do this, use the laparoscopic method using thoracotomy. And this technique is performed as follows: the doctor conducting the surgery makes an incision in the chest and performs the task. This method is quite traumatic and requires additional time for the recovery postoperative period.
In the past few years, doctors have adopted a new technique that helps get rid of this tumor without cutting a chest. The essence of this manipulation is that the doctor simply makes four punctures in the abdominal cavity or in the sternum and husks the leiomyoma through these punctures. And the most important thing is the ability not to affect the mucous membrane.
Such surgery is carried out under visual control, which is performed using esophagoscopy. A huge plus from this technique is that it is possible to completely eliminate such a complication as stenosis.
When the surgery is over, a person has four small incisions in diameter of about five millimeters. As for the forecasts, they are all favorable, and at the moment, relapses in the distant time have not been observed.
Esophageal leiomyoma: reviews
Reviews confirm that leiomyoma is a benign tumor that appears very rarely in humans. Its symptoms are in no hurry to signal and appear 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 one thing to all people: let neoplasms, even benign and with slow development, never bother them. Well, if at least one of the above symptoms appears, you should immediately visit a gastroenterologist or therapist. It is important to understand that health is only in the hands of the person himself.