Laser excision of multiple esophageal lymphangiomas: A case report and review of the literature

Lymphangiomas of the gastrointestinal tract are rare and benign submucosal tumors. We present the first case of multiple lymphangiomas in the cervical esophagus and only the 15th case of an esophageal lymphangioma. A 63-year-old male presented to our clinic with two years of dysphagia and an esophageal mass noted on MRI. A barium swallow confirmed a polypoid mass of the upper esophagus with operative findings of two smooth pedunculated lymphangiomas occupying the entire lumen of the esophagus. Previous reports have documented successful surgical intervention through open or endoscopic techniques, whereas the favorable location of the tumors in this case allowed for the first successful excision utilizing a CO2 laser. We demonstrate here that esophageal laser surgery can provide an accurate, complete, and minimally invasive excision technique for lymphangiomas of the upper digestive tract with minimal morbidity for the patient. A complete review of all published cases is presented, with a focus on the clinical presentation and surgical treatment of this disease.