How is Zenker diverticulum treated?

Zenker’s diverticular pouch Treatment for symptomatic ZD can be surgical or endoscopic. The surgical approach involves an external neck incision with CP myotomy (diverticulotomy), with or without pouch intervention (inversion, diverticulopexy or diverticulectomy).

What is Zenker diverticulum?

A Zenker’s diverticulum is an outpouching that occurs at the junction of the lower part of the throat and the upper portion of the esophagus. The pouch forms because the muscle that divides the throat from the esophagus, the cricopharyngeal (CP) muscle, fails to relax during swallowing.

Can Zenker’s diverticulum cause pneumonia?

Regurgitation caused by a diverticulum often occurs at night when lying down, which can lead to choking, aspiration pneumonia (a lung infection caused by pulmonary aspiration, the entry of secretions or foreign material into the trachea and lungs), and lung abscesses.

What is the most common presentation of a patient with a Zenker diverticulum?

Patients with Zenker diverticulum will typically present with a long history of dysphagia followed by a sensation of food stuck in the throat. Up to 98% of patients have the primary complaints of dysphagia. Other common symptoms include recurrent coughing, fetor ex ore (halitosis), and unexplained weight loss.

Can Zenker’s diverticulum go away?

If your doctor thinks it’s best to completely remove the pouch, they will do a procedure called a diverticulectomy and cricopharyngeal myotomy. While surgery is usually the best course of action for treating Zenker’s diverticulum, it’s important to know that there is a chance that the pouch may return.

Can you feel a Zenker’s diverticulum?

What are the symptoms of Zenker’s diverticulum? Symptoms include difficulty swallowing, feeling swallowed material sticking in the throat, regurgitation, weight loss, bad breath, choking, and coughing. Swallowed material may accumulate in the diverticulum and be regurgitated long after a meal.

What does Zenker’s diverticulum feel like?

How common is Zenker’s diverticulum?

Zenker’s diverticulum is rare, occurring in less than 0.01% of the population. It’s found more often in women than in men, usually those 60 years old or more. This disorder can be associated with hiatal hernias, esophageal spasm, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and, rarely, cancer of the esophagus.

How long does Zenker’s diverticulum surgery take?

This endoscopic procedure is performed under general anesthesia and may take 20 minutes to 1 hour depending on anatomic variations within the throat. Patients are usually discharged home 3-4 hours following the procedure. Diet: You may have clear liquids by mouth once you have awakened from anesthesia.

How do you diagnose a Zenker’s diverticulum?

A barium swallow is the most effective way to diagnose a Zenker’s diverticulum. The barium solution fills the pouch in the esophageal wall so that it can be seen on an X-ray.

What can I eat with Zenker’s diverticulum?

Mild cases of Zenker’s diverticulum may require little more than changes to how an individual eats, such as chewing foods well, drinking a lot of water after meals, and eliminating high-fat, spicy and acidic foods from the diet. Cases that are moderate to severe usually require surgery.

What type of doctor treats Zenker’s diverticulum?

What Are the Treatment Options? If you have any of the symptoms mentioned here, you should be examined by an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist, or otolaryngologist. Your ENT specialist may diagnose your condition using a “barium swallow” study.

Where does the pharyngoesophageal diverticula get its name?

Sometimes Zenker diverticula are called pharyngoesophageal diverticula because of their close proximity to the cervical esophagus; however, this is somewhat of a misnomer because the diverticula actually arise from the hypopharynx rather than from the esophagus.

What causes Zenker’s diverticulum ( pharyngeal )-Carle Foundation Hospital?

This disorder can be associated with hiatal hernias, esophageal spasm, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and, rarely, cancer of the esophagus. What Causes Zenker’s Diverticulum?

What are the symptoms of an esophageal diverticulum?

The symptoms of esophageal diverticula include: Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing, characterized by a feeling of food caught in the throat) Pulmonary aspiration (the entry of secretions or foreign material into the trachea and lungs) Some people may experience a gurgling sound as air passes through the diverticulum.

What kind of hernia is a Zenker diverticulum?

Pathology. A Zenker diverticulum is a pulsion-pseudodiverticulum and results from herniation of mucosa and submucosa through the Killian triangle (or Killian dehiscence), a focal weakness in the hypopharynx at the normal cleavage plane between the fibers of the two parts of the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle – the cricopharyngeus…