Intramural bronchogenic cysts of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction: A case report

Bronchogenic cyst is a relatively rare congenital malformation that is often identified in the mediastinum. The occurrence of bronchogenic cysts in the intramural esophagus and gastroesophageal junction is rare. The present report describes three cases of intramural bronchogenic cysts of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction and reviews the clinicopathological features of these lesions. A 35-year-old Japanese male (Case 1), a 50-year-old Japanese woman (Case 2) and a 34-year-old Japanese man (Case 3) presented with dysphagia, pharyngeal pain and heartburn, respectively. Upper endoscopic examination revealed submucosal tumors in the esophagus (Case 1 and 2) and gastroesophageal junction (Case 3). Subsequent endoscopic examination revealed perforation of the cyst into the surface of the esophageal mucosa (Case 2). Surgical resection was performed in all cases. Histopathological examinations revealed that the submucosal cysts were covered by respiratory-type ciliated epithelium without atypia. Cartilage and bronchial glands were not observed in any of the cases. The present review of the clinicopathological characteristics of bronchogenic cysts of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction revealed that males and females were equally affected. The median age of the patients was 34.5 years with a wide age distribution. The most common main complaint was dysphagia. A pre-operative diagnosis of bronchogenic cyst is difficult because no specific imaging features are present. As surgical resection is recommended for this lesion, recognition of the clinicopathological features of bronchogenic cysts is important for an accurate pre-operative diagnosis.