Pharyngoesophageal Diverticulum in a Dermatomyositis Patient with Dysphagia : A case report

ABSTRACT

There have been few reports on a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum in dermatomyositis patients. This report concerns a young woman suffered from dermatomyositis, and resulting in dysphagia. Although dysphagia is a common manifestation of inflammatory myopathy, it was associated with a pharyngoesophageal (Zenker's) diverticulum in this case. The videoflouroscopic study showed a diverticulum of the pharyngoesophageal junction. Esophagography confirmed a complicated Zenker's diverticulum that was a tubular mucosal pouch with poor distensibility and mucosal irregularity on left posterolateral aspect of the pharyngoesophageal junction. After 4 months, dysphagia improved and pharyngoesophageal diverticulum disappeared on esophagography and neck computed tomography. To our knowledge, there has been no report of a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum in a dermatomyositis patient with dysphagia in Korea. We report clinical and laboratory findings of our case and review association with a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum and dermatomyositis.