IN RECENT years great strides have been made in the development of surgical methods and techniques in caring for patients with carcinoma of the esophagus, esophageal diverticula, and congenital anomalies of the esophagus. Some of the more unusual lesions of the esophagus have not received the same added attention. Among these less frequently discussed lesions are the benign tumors. These lesions are not infrequently found in a patient who is being studied as a carcinoma suspect. It is true that many of the surgical methods used in the treatment of carcinoma of the esophagus are applicable to these benign conditions. However, the benign lesions at times present added interesting and debatable problems in diagnosis and treatment. According to most authors, leiomyomas are the most common benign tumors found in the esophagus. These lesions, however, are quite rare. In 1934 Moersch and Harrington1 were able to find only 15 benign