Seedling leiomyoma of the esophagus and esophagogastric junction zone.

The esophagus was totally excised for histopathological examination in 276 autopsy cases and 66 surgical cases (total, 342 cases). Leiomyoma of the esophagus was observed in 27 of the 342 cases. The tumors were present in 22 of the 225 male cases and in 5 of the 117 female cases. There were 38 leiomyomas among the 27 cases. Most of the leiomyomas originated in the inner circular muscle. None of the tumors was more than 7 mm. in length. Twenty-five of the 38 leiomyomas were located in the esophagogastric junction zone. Thus, subserial histological examination revealed leiomyomas at a higher frequency than that in previous reports.