A pedunculated lymphangioma of the esophagus was unexpectedly discovered during an
endoscopic investigation performed for epigastric pain in a patient affected by diabetic
arteriopathy treated with antiplatelet drugs. The patient neither complained of dysphagia
nor other symptoms related to the presence of the lymphangioma which therefore can be
considered as an endoscopic “incidentaloma”.
The lesion was removed endoscopically and a follow up, 6 months later, showed no scar
or recurrence.
The authors present this case both for the extreme rarity of this lesion and for the
evidence of low-medium grade dysplasia in the overlying mucosa, particularly since it is
only case ever noted in literature.
This aspect suggests that, even if malignant degeneration of these lesions has never
been observed, their endoscopic removal is recommended. However, when endoscopic
procedures are not feasible, thoracotomic surgical exeresis should be only considered for
obstructing and symptomatic lesions; an accurate endoscopic and bioptic follow up can be
useful for asymptomatic lesions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.