A Killian-Jamieson diverticulum potentially mimicking a thyroid nodule: A case report highlighting the cytology of a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum.

The authors highlight the important contribution of rapid on-site evaluation by the cytopathologist of a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum in a mass initially interpreted clinically as thyroidal in origin. They discuss pitfalls in avoiding interpretive diagnostic error and inappropriate thyroid Bethesda reporting.

[Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma localized in pharyngeal-esophageal diverticulum]. / Redkii sluchai ploskokletochnogo raka pishchevoda s lokalizatsiei v glotochno-pishchevodnom divertikule.

Squamous cell carcinoma in Zenker's diverticulum was first described in 1933. No large studies have yet been conducted due to rarity of this disease. There are a lot of unresolved issues regarding diagnosis and treatment of this pathology. In the literature, there are only few reports on cancer of Zenker diverticulum. It is only known that clinical symptoms are not specific, and diagnosis of carcinoma is traditionally correlated with age and male sex. Despite esophageal localization of primary tumor, its development can take up to 10 years. The authors report squamous cell carcinoma in Zenker diverticulum, discuss the main difficulties of morphological verification of this disease and choice of surgical approach.

Upper Esophageal Dysphagia.

Esophageal dysphagia presents acutely, most frequently as a food impaction, or in a progressive fashion. Anatomic changes are frequently responsible. Although the history may be suggestive, diagnosis is made from imaging or endoscopic studies. In asymptomatic cases, observation is most appropriate. Treatment is frequently accomplished endoscopically. Strictures, cricopharyngeal hyperfunction, and Zenker diverticulum are potential etiologic causes. For the purpose of this article focused on upper esophageal dysphagia, delineation between the upper and lower parts is the crossing of the aortic arch but also includes the most distal aspects of the hypopharynx including the inferior pharyngeal constrictors and upper esophageal sphincter.

Flexible diverticulotomy for Zenker's diverticulum - a bicentric study.

INTRODUCTION: Flexible diverticulotomy is an established procedure for the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum. In a bicentric study, we investigated the development of the procedure since its introduction at the Ordensklinikum Linz Barmherzige Schwestern and Elisabethinen in 2010. METHODS: All flexible diverticulotomies performed between January 2010 and December 2019 at the above-mentioned clinics were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were divided into two 5-year periods (2010-2014 and 2015-2019) and statistical tests were performed for comparison of data. RESULTS: In all, 69 flexible diverticulotomies were performed. The procedure was technically successful in 93.5% of cases. No lethal outcome was encountered. Only 2 (2.9%) interventions led to serious complications which had to be treated in the intensive care unit. Mild complications occurred in 14.5% of cases. 54 patients were evaluated in the follow-up period; 11 (20.3%) patients experienced relapses of dysphagia. The primary intervention resulted in a significant improvement over the observation period. Patients in the second intervention group had shorter average hospital stays and longer recurrence-free intervals. CONCLUSION: Flexible diverticulotomy is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum. However, as the success rate appears to depend on the expertise and experience of the department, flexible diverticulotomy should be performed at centers with high caseloads.

Benign Tracheoenteric Fistula to a Zenker's Diverticulum With Complete Esophageal Obstruction.

A fistula between a Zenker's diverticulum and the trachea has only been reported once, in 1983. Here, we report a case of a fistula between a large Zenker's diverticulum and the trachea with complete occlusion of the esophagus. The fistula was repaired, first by an esophageal myotomy, followed by proximal resection of the diverticulum, completion of the esophageal myotomy, transection of the fistula, and repair of the trachea. The surgical repair provided complete resolution of symptoms without complications.

Zenker's diverticulum: a rare clinical condition with unusual oral manifestation.

Oral mucosa exhibit clinical manifestations of a variety of systemic conditions and can serve as an indicator of overall health of an individual. Various systemic conditions like autoimmune, endocrine and haematological disorders can present with oral mucosal lesions, which can serve as an important diagnostic feature. These oral lesions can vary from oral ulceration, bleeding gums, xerostomia, chronic glossitis, to erosion and sensitivity of teeth. It is important that a clinician must be aware of the oral presentations of systemic conditions, so that timely diagnosis can be made and the necessary treatment is executed. This paper presents an unusual case of severe oral mucosal ulcerations and dysphagia in an elderly patient diagnosed with Zenker's diverticulum. Patient was relieved of all oral symptoms once the underlying gastrointestinal tract pathology was diagnosed and surgically corrected.

[Zenker´s diverticulum in a hemodialysis patient]. / Diverticule de Zenker chez une patiente en hémodialyse.

Zenker's diverticulum is a rare and generally benign condition. Its occurrence in a hemodialysis patient has therapeutic and prognostic implications and is a risk factor for mortality and morbidity due to its complications, such as protein-energy malnutrition and pneumonitis. We here report a case of Zenker's diverticulum diagnosed in a chronic haemodialysis patient. The study involved a 61-year-old female patient admitted with upper gastrointestinal bleeding associated with dysphagia. Physical examination showed alteration of general condition and the patient reported an average weight loss of 5 kg in 3 months. Esophagogastroduodenal transit was characterized by dilatation of the cervical esophagus, appearing as a large heterogeneous niche whose upper pole was at the level of the pharyngoesophageal junction. The diagnosis of Zenker's diverticulum was retained. Diverticulectomy by cervical incision was performed. The patient died due to inhalational lung disease in the early postoperative period. Zenker diverticulum is a rare, generally benign disease, but in patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis, it increases mortality and morbidity.

Operative technical tricks and 12-month outcomes of diverticular peroral endoscopic myotomy (D-POEM) in patients with symptomatic esophageal diverticula.

BACKGROUND: Submucosal tunneling diverticular septotomy by diverticular peroral endoscopic myotomy (D-POEM) has emerged as an alternative to surgery for symptomatic esophageal diverticula, but its medium to long-term outcomes are currently unexplored. METHODS: D-POEM for patients with symptomatic esophageal diverticula was prospectively studied to assess its safety and the 12-month outcomes. RESULTS: 25 patients (72 % male; median age 61 years [range 48 - 88]) with a Zenker's diverticulum (n = 20) or epiphrenic diverticulum (n = 5) were included. Major indications were dysphagia, recurrent bronchoaspiration, and foreign body sensation in 20 patients (80 %), with a mean symptom duration of 2.5 years (range 1 - : 4). Complete submucosal tunneling septotomy was achieved in a mean of 36 minutes (range 25 - : 45), with 100 % technical success. The median hospitalization was 5 days (range 4 - : 10). The mean (standard deviation) Eckardt Score improved significantly from 13.2 (1.0) at baseline to 3.2 (1.4) at 12 months (P < 0.001) with clinical success in 19/22 patients (86 %) and no long-term adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: D-POEM appears safe and durable in patients with esophageal diverticula. Further multicenter studies with a larger patient cohort are warranted.

Safety and efficacy of submucosal tunneling endoscopic septum division for epiphrenic diverticula.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic epiphrenic diverticula are mostly treated with laparoscopic diverticulectomy. Our study aimed to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of submucosal tunneling endoscopic septum division (STESD) for treatment of symptomatic epiphrenic diverticula. METHODS: Data from patients with epiphrenic diverticula who had undergone STESD were retrospectively reviewed. The parameters analyzed were the modified Eckardt score, total procedure time, length of hospital stay (LOS), number of clips used, adverse events, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: A total of eight patients (5 men; mean [standard deviation (SD)] age 66.25 [7.17] years) were enrolled in our study. The mean (SD) size of epiphrenic diverticula was 3.68 (1.59) cm. The mean (SD) procedure time was 52.87 (22.47) minutes, with a median number of six clips being applied. The modified Eckardt score significantly decreased post-procedure (P < 0.001). The mean (SD) LOS was 5.87 (0.83) days. No adverse events or symptom recurrences were reported. CONCLUSION: STESD is a safe and effective technique to be performed in the submucosal tunnel for the management of patients with epiphrenic diverticula.

[A comparative study of short- and long-term outcomes for transcervical versus transoral surgery for Zenker diverticulum]. / A Zenker-diverticulumok transcervicalis és transoralis sebészi kezelésének összehasonlító vizsgálata, rövid és hosszú távú eredmények.

INTRODUCTION AND AIM: We present our experience with open (transcervical diverticulectomy, cricomyotomy) and transoral surgery (transoral stapler diverticulostomy) for Zenker diverticulums. METHOD: Between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2016, 29 patients were examined with a symptom-causing Zenker diverticulum. In 13 cases, transcervical surgery, in 16 cases, transoral surgery were performed. Perioperative and long-term results were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: Patients were operated on after an average of 31 months with complaints. In both groups, the leading symptoms were severe dysphagia and severe regurgitation. No intraoperative complication was detected. In the transoral group, one patient had to be reoperated on for bleeding, another patient developed pneumonia in the transcervical group. The average duration of the surgeries (42.5 versus [vs.] 98 minutes, p<0.001), the time to oral feeding (2.9 vs. 4.6 days, p<0.001) and the mean hospital stay (7.3 vs. 9.7 days, p<0.001) were significantly shorter in the transoral group than the transcervical group. 15 patients were completely symptomless postoperatively. After transcervical treatment, complaints were developed in 2 cases (moderate dysphagia and hoarseness). After transoral surgery, recurrent symptoms were observed in 6 patients, 4 had to be reoperated transcervically due to severe regurgitation. CONCLUSION: Transoral stapler diverticulostomy is a fast procedure and offers short hospital stay especially in comorbid, aged patients and intermedium diverticulum size. In the long term, some of the patients may require reintervention due to persistent regurgitation. The transcervical approach has higher perioperative morbidity, which can be performed in patients with less than 3 cm or large diverticulum size. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(16): 629-635.

Endoscopic Approaches to Cricopharyngeal Myotomy and Pyloromyotomy.

Endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy has been demonstrated to be a safe and efficacious procedure with favorable outcomes for the treatment of cricopharyngeal dysfunction with or without Zenker diverticulum. It is a less invasive approach with decreased morbidity compared with the open approach and minimal reported complications. Peroral endoscopic pyloromyotomy is a novel technique for the treatment of gastroparesis. It has shown promising results in terms of its safety, complication profile, and symptom improvement in a minimally invasive approach that is appealing to many patients. As further data emerge on the technique, long-term efficacy of the procedure will be better understood.

Manejo clásico del Divertículo de Zenker. Serie de seis casos / Clinical management of Zenker's diverticulum

Los divertículos faringoesofágicos son bolsas revestidas de epitelio que sobresalen de la luz esofágica. Fueron descriptos por Abraham Ludlow siendo luego estudiados porZenker en 1878 por lo que recibieron dicha denominación. Son los divertículos más comunes también llamados falsos ya que no tienen todas las capas de la pared esofágica. Su incidencia es de 2/100 000 habitantes. Predomina en pacients masculinos a partir de la séptima década de la vida. Actualmente, existen diversas modalidades terapéuticas, desde la dilatación del esófago hasta la cirugía con resección del divertículo. A pesar de la revolución de la cirugía de mínimo acceso con la introducción de técnicas innovadoras por vía endoscópica todavía existen dudas en relación con la elección del tratamiento ideal. Este análisis de casos de seis pacientes con divertículo de Zenker que fueron a tratamiento quirúrgico fue diseñado para con la intención de definir las indicaciones y los resultados alcanzados en el tratamiento del divertículo de Zenker según el método abierto siendo las variables estudiadas: acceso, tiempo quirúrgico, tiempo para reanudar la vía oral, estadía hospitalaria, complicaciones, persistencia de síntomas, recidivas, reoperaciones y mortalidad

Pharyngoesophageal diverticula are epithelial-lined bags that protrude from the esophageal lumen. They were described by Abraham Ludlow and then studied by Zenker in 1878 for which they received the name. They are the most common divertícula also called false because they do not have all the layers of the exophageal wall. Its incidence is 2/100 000 inhabitants. It predominates in male patients from the seventh decade of life. Currently, there are various therapeutic modalities, from dilation of the esophagus to surgery with resection of the diverticulum. Despite the revolution in minimally invasive surgery with the introduction of innovative techniques through endoscopy, there are still doubts regarding the choice of the ideal treatment. This case analysis of six patients with Zenker's diverticulum who underwent surgical treatment was designed with the intention of defining the indications and results achieved in the treatmente of Zenker's diverticulum accordin to the open method, with the variables studied being: access, surgical time, time to resume the oral route, hospital stay, complications, persistence of symptoms, recurrences, reoperations and mortality

Flexible endoscopic treatment for Zenker's diverticulum - experience on 31 patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of this study is to present the experience of our center over the last 8 years in a series of patients with Zenker's diverticulum (ZD), treated using an endoscopic, minimally invasive procedure. METHODS: We retrospectively included 31 patients with a previously established diagnosis of ZD based on endoscopic and oral contrast examinations. Patients' age, comorbidities, size of the diverticulum or previous endoscopic treatment were not considered exclusion criteria. A soft, flexible diverticuloscope to expose the septum and a dual knife for "cutting" the diverticular septum were used. We analyzed the short term efficacy based on symptomatic relief and occurrence of side effects, and long term efficiency at 6 and 12 months by clinical assessment, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and oral contrast media passage. RESULTS: Patients had a mean age of 67 years (range 42-86); 55% of them were male. All patients reported symptom relief after the procedure. A decrease of more than 70% from the initial size of the diverticulum was noted. There were 3 cases (9.67%) of intraprocedural hemorrhage, endoscopically managed. No serious post-procedural complications and no mortality were reported. The mean procedural time was 21.87 minutes (range 15-25 minutes). Average hospitalization was 2.5 days. Five patients developed recurrence and needed a second session of endoscopic treatment for achieving complete myotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic management for ZD was efficient and safe in our series of patients. A short hospitalization period was required.

The Plication Technique to Enhance the Endoscopic Approach to Zenker's Diverticulum.

Endoscopic stapler approaches to Zenker's diverticulum often yield a persistent diverticulum and recurrent dysphagia up to 20%. A novel technique to reduce the postoperative diverticulum is described. Eight consecutive patients with Zenker's diverticulum who underwent endoscopic stapler diverticulotomy had adjunctive endoscopic plication of the diverticulum wall to functionally reduce the residual diverticulum size. On postoperative esophagram, there was no visible diverticulum in 4 of 7 patients (57%). The remaining 3 patients had a reduction in common wall of 76%, 50%, and 40% with a mean postoperative size of 1.0 cm. All patients had resolution or significant improvement in dysphagia. There were no complications or recurrences at a mean follow-up of 6.3 months. As an adjunct to endoscopic treatment of Zenker's diverticulum, the plication technique can reduce diverticulum size. Further studies will determine if the plication technique affects long-term recurrence of endoscopic stapler approaches.