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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

[Esophageal diverticula].

Esophageal diverticula are classified by location-phrenoesophageal (Zenker's diverticulum-70%), thoracic and mediastinal (10%), and epiphrenic (20%). Almost all esophageal diverticula are acquired pulsion diverticula. The most common symptoms are dysphagia, regurgitation, thoracic pain, and pulmonary manifestations related to aspiration. Barium swallow and upper endoscopy will help to establish the diagnosis while esophageal manometry may reveal underlying dysmotility. Diverticula should not be treated unless they are symptomatic. The treatment of Zenker's diverticulum is surgical and consists of either diverticulectomy or diverticular suspension with a myotomy of the cricopharyngeus muscle via cervical approach. Transoral endoscopic stapled diverticulostomy is a new and simple approach which may become the treatment of choice, particularly in elderly and high-risk patients. Treatment of diverticula of the mid and low esophagus must take into account any motor anomalies or associated lesions. Diverticulectomy with esophageal myotomy and an anti-reflux procedure through a left thoracotomy is the standard approach, but endoscopic approaches seem feasible, particularly for epiphrenic diverticula, and may become the norm in years to come.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

[Esophageal diverticula].

Esophageal diverticula are considered to be rare but this has not deterred interest in the condition, either historically or in the present era. Most parabronchial esophageal diverticula are traction diverticula, and resection is thought to be unnecessary. The majority of pharyngoesophageal diverticula and epiphrenic diverticula are pulsion diverticula. It is now well accepted that they correlate with underlying motor disturbance and that surgery is indicated. If there is motor disturbance is preoperative manometry, it is necessary to add myotomy. However, if there is no motor disturbance, the surgical management remains controversial. Recently, minimal access surgery with laparoscopy or thoracoscopy has been successful in the treatment of epiphrenic diverticulum.

Diverticulum, Esophageal↗
PubMed2004

Treatment of Epiphrenic and Mid-esophageal Diverticula.

Thoracic esophageal diverticula are uncommon. They account for less than 30% of esophageal diverticula. The majority of patients are asymptomatic or have minimal symptoms. About one third of patients present with severe symptoms. Occasionally, pulmonary symptoms can be the sole manifestation of the disease and can be life threatening. Dysphagia, food regurgitation, chest pain, weight loss, and reflux symptoms are the most commonly encountered gastrointestinal symptoms. Malignancy is a rare complication of esophageal diverticula; therefore, patients should be educated regarding this complication. Appropriate diagnostic tests should be arranged promptly if alarming symptoms develop. Esophageal motor disorders are found in the majority of patients and need to be taken into account when planning therapy. Medical and endoscopic therapies have limited roles in treatment. Surgery is the standard of care for patients with pulmonary or incapacitating symptoms related to an epiphrenic diverticulum, and myotomy is the cornerstone of surgery. To ensure complete relief of the obstruction, the myotomy should extend distally at least 1.5 to 2 cm into the stomach and proximally at least to the neck of diverticulum. Adding a nonobstructing entireflux procedure is recommended to prevent the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Occasionally, a specific treatment such as a diverticulectomy or diverticulopexy needs to be directed to the diverticulum. Preliminary treatment results from minimally invasive surgery, especially laparoscopy, have been promising. In the future with increased experience, minimally invasive surgery may become the standard of care.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Etiology of esophageal diverticula (the 225th anniversary of the first report on esophageal diverticula].

On the basis of survey of the special literature about the etiology of diverticula of the oesophagus, author stressed that the origin of the disease still remain unclear. Apparently, the scientists did not take into account the polyetiological factors in origin of the oesophagus' diverticula. Besides, the opinion of on benignity of diverticula and the absence of detailed classification of them were also hindrances to establishment of the problem. The clinical significance of asymptomatic diverticula of the oesophagus, according to the author's experience is not limited to the possible occurrence of complications (diverticulitis, etc). So, between 909 patients subjected to x-ray examination of the oesophagus in 106 (11.6%) of cases were found diverticula of it. In the aged group (59/336)--17.5% and in the cancerous patients even--23.4% (17/72). Diverticula of the oesophagus were found in other groups also (pulmonary tuberculosis--6.1% (6/64), bronchial cancer--5% (7/140), etc. Proceed from this the author counts that in number of cases oesophagus' diverticula are in indirect symptom of different (often severe) affections of the adjacent or distant organs.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Esophageal diverticula: patient assessment.

Esophageal diverticula are best classified by their anatomic location: pharyngoesophageal (Zenker's diverticula), midthoracic, and epiphrenic. Most diverticula result from esophageal motility disorders. Although some patients are asymptomatic and diverticula are incidental findings, most patients are symptomatic. Dysphagia, regurgitation, and pain are common complaints, however, symptoms are often nonspecific and may be the result of an associated esophageal motility disorder. Contrast radiography is the prime diagnostic tool; evaluation of the diverticulum, associated esophageal abnormalities, and complications are assessed by a barium esophogram. Esophagoscopy adds little to the evaluation of the diverticulum but may be indicated in the assessment of other esophageal abnormalities. Motility studies, which may be difficult or hazardous to perform, are of little use in the diagnosis and treatment of Zenker's diverticula. Manometric evaluation of midthoracic or epiphrenic diverticula usually show an associated motility disorder and may influence treatment decisions.

Diverticulum, Esophageal↗
PubMed1994

Achalasia associated with esophageal diverticula. Prevalence and potential implications.

Although esophageal diverticula have been rarely reported in patients with achalasia, their prevalence and the potential implications of the relationship are not well known. We reviewed the medical records and the manometric and radiographic examinations in 120 patients with achalasia to determine the prevalence of esophageal diverticula and to evaluate their importance in this motility disorder. Esophageal diverticula were found in only 6 (5%) of 120 patients, and all were located in the lower half of the esophagus. Sex distribution and the prevalence of dysphagia and regurgitation, which affected all patients with diverticula and 88% of those with achalasia only, were not different significantly. Patients with esophageal diverticula were significantly older (72 vs. 52 years) than those without diverticula. In 5 of 6 patients with diverticula, mean lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure was 44.5 mm Hg compared to 39.1 mm Hg in 86 of 114 patients with achalasia only. Treatment by pneumatic dilatation was done in 4 patients with esophageal diverticula and in 105 patients without diverticula. Five esophageal perforations occurred, all in patients without esophageal diverticula.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Minimally invasive operation for esophageal diverticula.

BACKGROUND: Mid and lower esophageal diverticula are rare entities usually managed by open operation. Morbidity can be significant with these complex procedures. This study evaluates our results of minimally invasive surgery for esophageal diverticula. METHODS: Over a 5-year period, 20 patients underwent operation for esophageal diverticula. Median age was 70.5 years. There were 16 epiphrenic and 4 midesophageal diverticula with a median size of 7.5 cm (range, 2-11 cm). Symptoms included dysphagia (14), regurgitation (12), weight loss (8), heartburn (4), aspiration pneumonia (3), chest pain (2), and vomiting (2). Dysphagia scores (1 = none, 5 = severe) were recorded before and after operation. RESULTS: Surgical approaches were laparoscopy (10), video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) (7), laparoscopic/VATS (2), and laparoscopic/thoracotomy (1). The most common operation performed was a diverticulectomy, myotomy, and partial fundoplication (12). Complications occurred in 9 (45%) patients and included 4 (20%) esophageal leaks. Three leak patients had successful outcomes; the fourth patient died 61 days after operation. Median hospital stay was 5.0 (1-61) days. Detailed follow-up was available in 18 patients at a median of 15 (1-70) months. Dysphagia scores improved significantly (p < 0.001) from 2.3 to 1.3 postoperatively. Symptomatic improvement was excellent in 13 (72%), good in 2 (11%), fair in 1 (6%), and poor in 2 (11%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive operations for esophageal diverticula are feasible but also challenging. The potential for morbidity is significant. Patients should be selected and evaluated carefully before undertaking repair. Open surgery should remain the standard except in centers experienced with minimally invasive esophageal surgery.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Esophageal diverticula.

Cases of esophageal diverticula treated surgically at the Department I of General Surgery, Institute of Surgery from 1950 to 1973 are reported. Their location, clinical manifestations, indications for operation and management are described. During these 23 years 45 patients were treated surgically. In 21 cases the diverticula were situated in the cervical part of the esophagus, in 14 cases in the middle part and in 10 cases in the supradiaphragmatic part.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Management of epiphrenic esophageal diverticula. A fifteen-year experience.

Epiphrenic esophageal diverticula represent an unusual cause of dysphagia, pain, and weight loss. Although commonly associated with motility disorders, distal esophageal diverticula also have been associated with reflux strictures or other lesions. To determine the most appropriate diagnostic evaluation and operative approach, we reviewed the recent 15-year experience with epiphrenic esophageal diverticula at our institution. Over the study period, 18 patients were diagnosed with pulsion epiphrenic diverticula. Nine patients (50%) with symptomatic diverticula were referred for surgical management. All referred patients were evaluated with preoperative manometry, endoscopy, and contrast esophagography. Diverticulectomy was performed via posterolateral thoracotomy in all patients, combined with myotomy in the 6 patients (67%) with abnormal manometric results and in 2 patients with normal manometric results. The third patient with normal manometric results underwent simple diverticulectomy. There was no operative mortality. One complication, a small esophageal leak, was managed successfully by early reoperation. All patients were free of dysphagia at discharge. Follow-up was obtained for 17 patients (94%) ranging from 3 months to 12 years. Good to excellent results (measured by relief of symptoms, weight gain, and absence of clinical recurrence) were seen in all 9 surgical patients; 6 of 9 nonsurgical patients remained or became symptomatic. This experience demonstrates the efficacy of surgical management of symptomatic epiphrenic esophageal diverticula. Diverticulectomy combined with selective myotomy permits excellent operative results and resolution of associated symptoms.

Deglutition Disorders↗
PubMed1989

[A case of esophageal diverticula in a child].

Esophageal diverticula in infants and children are rarely seen, even by the pediatric radiologist. This is a case report of an infant girl presenting with an esophageal diverticulum arising from the right anterior lateral aspect of the proximal third of the esophagus. The diverticulum included a metallic foreign body.

Diverticulum, Esophageal↗
PubMed2004

Esophageal diverticula: current classification and important complications.

Esophageal diverticula, although often asymptomatic or discovered incidentally during the workup of unrelated symptoms, may serve as a sign to clinicians of an ongoing dysmotility process involving the esophagus, particularly in our aging population. As well, esophageal diverticula may lead to unexpected complications as a result of instrumentation such as endoscopy or nasogastric tube placement that may result in significant morbidity and mortality including esophageal perforation. This article discusses these topics in detail with special emphasis on radiologic diagnosis and information for clinicians for management and avoidance of potentially serious complications.

Aging↗
PubMed2003

Minimally invasive management of epiphrenic esophageal diverticula.

The purpose of this study is to review our initial experience with a minimally invasive approach to manage symptomatic epiphrenic esophageal diverticula. Five patients with symptomatic epiphrenic esophageal diverticula underwent surgical management between August 1997 and December 2002. All patients complained of dysphagia; had experienced symptoms for at least 12 months; and were evaluated preoperatively by a barium esophagram, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and esophageal manometry. The epiphrenic esophageal diverticula measured 5 cm or less in all patients. Manometry demonstrated esophageal dysmotility in three patients. A minimally invasive technique was completed in all five patients. Four patients underwent laparoscopic diverticulectomy and myotomy including a concomitant Toupet fundoplication, and one patient underwent thoracoscopic diverticulectomy and myotomy. The mean operative time was 245 minutes (range 175-334). The longest operative time was for the thoracoscopic procedure. The estimated blood loss was minimal (range 30-100 cm3). The laparoscopic patients had a mean postoperative length of stay of 2.75 days (range 2-4) and the patient undergoing a thoracoscopic approach was discharged on postoperative day 6 due to a history of lung disease and home oxygen requirements. There were no other postoperative complications. After a mean follow-up of 16.2 months (range 3-36) all patients are asymptomatic. Short-term follow-up after our initial experience with minimally invasive approaches for epiphrenic esophageal diverticula demonstrates that thoracoscopic and laparoscopic approaches are feasible; safe; and effectively alleviate dysphagia, regurgitation, and other associated symptoms. Long-term outcomes should be monitored during the evolution of these novel minimally invasive techniques to ensure outcomes comparable to those of a transthoracic open approach.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Etiopathogenesis and classification of esophageal diverticula.

The classification and etiopathogenesis of esophageal diverticula is discussed on the basis of our experience with the surgical management of 74 such diverticula (51 parapharyngeal, 7 thoracic, 167 epiphrenic). Parapharyngeal diverticula always represent true diverticula, their walls comprising muscular tissue as well as mucosa and submucosa. A causal relationship between esophageal reflux disease and Zenker's diverticulum has not yet been proved. Thoracic diverticula are probably more often of a congenital than traction origin. Epiphrenic diverticula result either from hypertonia of the lower esophageal sphincter (esophageal achalasia) or, if the latter functions normally, are of congenital origin. Traction etiology can in special cases be due to the presence of a leiomyoma in the esophageal wall.

Diverticulum, Esophageal↗
PubMed2006

Esophageal diverticula: pathogenesis, clinical aspects, and natural history.

It has been gradually accepted that esophageal diverticula result from esophageal motor disorders rather than from primary anatomic abnormalities. Twenty-seven patients with these diverticula were evaluated with respect to pathogenesis, clinical aspects, diagnostic tests, therapy, and natural history for a mean of 27 months of followup. Thirteen diverticula were midesophageal, 11 were situated in the distal third of the esophagus, and 3 were in both regions. Esophageal dysmotility was observed in 85% of patients. Specific esophageal motor disorders were more frequent in association with diverticula of the distal third than in midesophageal diverticula, suggesting that they result from a pulsion mechanism. Traction was the possible mechanism in 27% of midesophageal diverticula. Endoscopic esophagitis was seen in one patient and abnormal acid reflux in 25% of the cases, mainly in patients with distal diverticula. Distal diverticula presented with more severe symptoms than did midesophageal diverticula, and 27% of those required surgical treatment. Patients with midesophageal diverticula seem to have a better prognosis than those with more distal disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Midthoracic esophageal diverticula.

Periesophageal inflammation, most commonly secondary to tuberculosis, was a frequent cause of midthoracic diverticula. Today, the majority of these diverticula are the result of esophageal motility disorders. Although many patients are asymptomatic, it is the underlying motility disturbances that produce most symptoms. A barium esophagogram is the best study to show midthoracic diverticula. Esophageal manometry may be difficult to perform because of the obstruction of passage of the motility catheter by the diverticulum, but it is useful in defining the cause of the diverticulum and directing therapy. Esophagoscopy is helpful in the assessment of complications or associated esophageal abnormalities. It adds little to the evaluation of the diverticulum. In patients requiring surgery, a diverticulectomy with a myotomy performed on the esophageal wall opposite the diverticulum is the preferred treatment. Lesser procedures have been reported to be successful in select patients.

Barium Sulfate↗
PubMed1989

[Surgical treatment of complicated esophageal diverticula].

In 1973-86 the authors encountered esophageal diverticula (ED) in 44 patients. The disease was clinically manifested in all cases. Concomitant diseases of the abdominal and thoracic organs were found in 27 patients; ED followed a complicated course in 23 patients. Progressive clinical signs due to increase in the size of the diverticulum and the presence of complications are considered to be indications for operation. The surgery was performed on 18 patients. Complications developed in 4 cases after diverticulectomy. There were no fatal outcomes.

Adult↗