Benign Smooth Muscle Tumours of the Oesophagus

There are two good reviews of this subject. The first, by Rose, described the cases reported up to 1936; the second, by Johnston, Clagett, and McDonald (1953), brought the matter up to 1952 and added a substantial series treated at the Mayo Clinic. The fact that this topic has been reviewed by two such authorities might suggest that there is nothing useful left to say. But the vagaries of disease are such that the possibilities are never covered. If one considers such a common entity as acute appendicitis it is still certain that unique exigencies will crop up from time to time. Here is a resume of the knowledge available in papers about these tumours.