FRCS From the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London. Accepted for publication 27 February 1994.
Leiomyomas are the most common benign tumors of the esophagus.
An interesting feature of these tumors is their varied and sometimes bizarre presentation. Here we present a case report of a patient with recurrent pulmonary infection and a mediastinal mass on chest x-ray which subsequently proved to be a leiomyoma of the esophagus. Surgical enucleation of the tumor was curative and there were no further chest infections in the subsequent follow-up for six months. She had intermittent bouts of cough with symptoms suggestive of bronchitis. After half a dozen visits in rapid succession, the general practitioner ordered a chest x-ray.