A Case Report of Esophageal Lipoma

Yoshitaka Uchiyama, Norio Yamaoka, Hideki Taniguchi, Masafumi Morinaga, Naoya Yamasaki

Department of Thoracic-Vascular Surgery, Oita Prefectural Hospital

A 33-year-old woman with discomfort in the epigastrium was admitted. A barium meal and endoscopic study revealed a tumor that arose from the lower intrathoracic esophagus with a longitudial diameter of 7 cm. Computed tomography showed a fusiform formation, origniating from the right anterolateral wall of the esophagus. Its walls were distinct and well defined, and their enhancement was comparable with that of soft tissues. The densitometric values were of adipose type (-108 H.U.). Through a formal left thoractomy, a lipoma measuring 7×3.5×1 cm was excised. The histological diagnosis was benign lipoma. When correctly performed, computed tomography is more accurate in determining esophageal lipoma. Esophageal lipoma is extremely rare, we have found only 16 reported cases in the Japanese literature.

Key words
esophageal lipoma, esophageal submucosal tumor

Reprint requests
Yoshitaka Uchiyama Department of Thoracic-Vascular Surgery, Oita Prefectural Hospital
2-37 Takasago-machi, Oita, 870 JAPAN

Accepted
December 12, 1990

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