A case of endoscopically resected schwannoma in the sigmoid colon

Abstract

A 63-year-woman visited our hospital for further evaluation of submucosal tumor in the sigmoid colon. The lesion was hard and was approximately 10mm in diameter. Endoscopic ultrasonography demonstrated a hypoechoic lesion located mainly in the shallow part of the third layer without swelling of the lymph nodes. We strongly suspected it to be a carcinoid. Endoscopic resection with aspiration and ligation was performed. By this procedure, the lesion was completely resected with submucosal tissue between tumor and resected surface. Microscopic examination including immunohistological study of the specimen diagnosed a benign schwannoma.
Endoscopic resection with aspiration and ligation was considered to be an effective and safety procedure for diagnosis and therapy of submucosal tumor when the lesion was comparatively small (less than 10mm in diameter) and located in the shallow part of submucosa without swelling of the lymph nodes.