A giant cause of recurrent fever

A 73-year-old male patient presented to the Emergency Department with history of weight loss, dysphagia, and recurrent fever. The initial chest radiograph showed a mediastinal hypotransparency and to the complaints of dysphagia the patient did a barium swallow test that revealed a giant Zenker diverticulum. Apart from mildly elevated inflammatory markers and despite the extensive investigation of recurrent fever, no other relevant features were found either in blood analysis, microbiological cultures or computerized tomography. He was submitted to surgical intervention, with no recurrence of fever afterwards. It was assumed that food debris and possible microaspirations were responsible for the recurrence of fever and elevation of inflammatory markers. The patient eventually died due to late complications of surgery. Although recurrent fever is frequently linked to systemic disease, the presence of such a giant diverticulum was probably causing an inflammatory response that is usually not seen in these conditions. (AU)

Concurrent Killian-Jamieson and Zenker's Diverticula.

Pharyngoesophageal diverticula are rare causes of dysphagia. Zenker's diverticulum is the most common type, followed by Killian-Jamieson diverticulum. A 44-year-old male presented to our clinic with a longstanding history of dysphagia and globus sensation. Bilateral pharyngoesophageal diverticula were confirmed by imaging CT and esophagogastroscopy. He underwent transcervical resection, and a right Killian-Jamieson diverticulum was observed during surgery. The left diverticulum was found to originate above the cricopharyngeus muscle and was labeled as Zenker's diverticulum. Bilateral pharyngoesophageal diverticula are rare, and physicians should be aware of the variable clinical presentations and management options for pharyngoesophageal diverticula.

Objective Fluoroscopic Outcomes After Endoscopic Staple Versus Laser Zenker's Diverticulotomy.

OBJECTIVE: Endoscopic Zenker's diverticulotomy (EZD) is typically performed via stapling (endoscopic staple diverticulotomy; ESD) or CO2 laser (endoscopic laser diverticulotomy; ELD). Conflicting reports exist on which approach provides optimal outcomes. This investigation compared objective fluoroscopic data between ESD and ELD. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing primary EZD at a tertiary center between January 1, 2014 and January 10, 2022 was performed. Patients undergoing ESD and ELD were matched by preoperative diverticulum size. Primary outcome measures were postoperative diverticulum size and change in diverticulum size from pre- to postoperative swallowing fluoroscopy. Secondary outcome measures were the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) score, penetration aspiration scale (PAS), pharyngeal constriction ratio (PCR), and pharyngoesophageal segment opening (PESo). RESULTS: Thirteen matched pairs with complete fluoroscopic data were identified. The mean (±SD) age of the cohort was 74.0 (±8.5) years. There were no age or gender differences between groups (p > 0.05). The mean pre-operative ZD size was 1.98 (±0.69) cm for ESD and 1.97 (±0.72) cm for ELD; the mean postoperative size was 0.84 (±0.62) cm for ESD and 0.34 (±0.27) cm for ELD (p < 0.05). Mean diverticulum size improved by 1.14 (±0.59) cm after ESD and 1.62 (±0.59) cm after ELD (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in postoperative EAT-10, PAS, PCR, or PESo between groups. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that endoscopic laser Zenker's diverticulotomy results in a greater improvement in diverticulum size than endoscopic staple diverticulotomy. The data did not suggest a difference in postoperative dysphagia symptom scores or other objective fluoroscopic parameters between staple and laser diverticulotomy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCES: Level 3 Laryngoscope, 133:3057-3060, 2023.

Divertículo de Zenker / Zenker's Diverticulum

Introducción: Los divertículos de Zenker son los más frecuentes del esófago. El tratamiento quirúrgico más utilizado es la diverticulectomía con miotomía cricofaríngea abierta. Objetivo: Describir un paciente con diagnóstico de divertículo de Zenker cuya presentación fue la disfagia e infecciones respiratorias recurrentes. Presentación del caso: Describimos el caso de una paciente de 73 años con disfagia alta e infecciones respiratorias recurrentes, con el diagnóstico de divertículo de Zenker, a quien se le realiza diverticulectomía más miotomía. Conclusiones: El divertículo de Zenker o divertículo yuxtaesfinteriano faringoesofágico es una entidad de baja prevalencia que se presenta en pacientes entre los 50 y 70 años, predominantemente en los de sexo masculino. La radiografía contrastada del tracto digestivo superior y endoscopia determinan el diagnóstico en su mayoría y la diverticulectomía más cricomiotomía es la técnica más empleada(AU)

Introduction: Zenker's diverticula are the most frequent diverticula of the esophagus. The most commonly used surgical treatment is diverticulectomy with open cricopharyngeal myotomy. Objective: To describe a patient with a diagnosis of Zenker's diverticulum and whose presentation was dysphagia and recurrent respiratory infections. Case presentation: We describe the case of a 73-year-old female patient with high dysphagia and recurrent respiratory infections, with the diagnosis of Zenker's diverticulum, and who underwent diverticulectomy plus myotomy. Conclusions: Zenker's diverticulum or pharyngoesophageal juxtasphincteric diverticulum is a low-prevalence condition that occurs in patients between 50 and 70 years of age, predominantly in males. Contrast radiography of the upper digestive tract and endoscopy determine the diagnosis in the majority of cases, while diverticulectomy plus cricomyotomy is the most commonly used technique(AU)

Killian Jamieson Diverticulum, the Great Mimicker: A Case Series and Contemporary Review.

OBJECTIVE: To assess barium esophagram (BAS) as a diagnostic marker for patients with Killian Jamieson diverticula (KJD). METHODS: Prospective, multicenter cohort study of individuals enrolled in the Prospective OUtcomes of Cricopharyngeus Hypertonicity (POUCH) Collaborative. Patient demographics, comorbidities, radiographic imaging reports, laryngoscopy findings, patient-reported outcome measures (PROM), and operative reporting were abstracted from a REDCap database and summarized using means, medians, percentages, frequencies. Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test were used to test pre- to post-operative differences in RSI, EAT-10, and VHI-10 scores. Diagnostic test evaluation including sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive value with 95% confidence intervals were calculated comparing BAS findings to operative report. RESULTS: A total of 287 persons were enrolled; 13 (4%) patients were identified with confirmed KJD on operative reports. 100% underwent open transcervical excision. BAS has a 46.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 23.2, 70.9) sensitivity and 97.8% (95% CI: 95.3, 99.0) specificity in detecting a KJD and 50% (95% CI: 25.4, 74.6) positive predictive value but 97.4% (95%CI: 94.8, 98.7) negative predictive value. Preoperatively, patients reported mean (SD) RSI and EAT-10 of 19.4 (9) and 8.3 (7.5) accordingly. Postoperatively, patients reported mean (SD) RSI and EAT-10 as 5.4 (6.2) and 2.3 (3.3). Both changes in RSI and EAT-10 were statistically significant (p = 0.008, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: KJD are rare and represent <5% of hypopharyngeal diverticula undergoing surgical intervention. Open transcervical surgery significantly improves symptoms of dysphagia. BAS has high specificity but low sensitivity in detecting KJD. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:2110-2115, 2023.

Caso clínico-radiológico: divertículo de Zenker / Clinical-radiological case: Zenker's diverticulum

Zenker's diverticulum develops in the hypopharynx, usually between the cricopharyngeus muscle and the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle, at the level of the C5 and C6 vertebrae. It often manifests clinically with dysphagia, persistent reflux, and halitosis. Its reference diagnosis is through barium video swallowing observed by fluoroscopy. Management is surgical with a cervical or transoral approach, the latter having a better safety profile

[Update Esophageal Diverticula]. / Update Ösophagusdivertikel.

Update Esophageal Diverticula Abstract. Esophageal diverticula are rare diseases typically associated pathophysiologically with esophageal dysmotility. The most common location (about 80%) is pharyngo-oesophageal. The therapy must be adapted to the location, the size, the symptoms and also the individual perioperative risk of the patient. In this context, following Herbella et al. [1] summarize that a) asymptomatic diverticula do not require therapy; b) small (< 1cm) diverticula do not usually need to be resected; c) medium-sized (1-3cm) and large (> 4cm) diverticula should be treated either by resection, pex, invagination or (for Zenker's diverticulum) by transoral diverticulo-esophagostomy, and d) a simultaneous myotomy should always be performed. Due to the rarity of esophageal diverticula and due to the wide range of therapeutic options, the expertise required for an individual therapy concept is often not available even in larger clinics, which is why we recommend treatment in a reference center. In our opinion, the counseling and treatment of patients with esophageal diverticula by an experienced interdisciplinary team using all the options of today's established endoscopic and surgical procedures is the prerequisite for a low-complication management of this unusual clinical picture.

Suspected malignant degeneration in a Zenker's diverticulum: should we biopsy it?

We report the case of an 89-year-old female who presented with progressive weight loss, oropharyngeal dysphagia and food regurgitation.

Further evidence for Zenker's diverticulum in a slim woman with body figure predisposition: a case report and literature review.

Zenker's diverticulum (ZD) is a bag-like pharyngeal pouch that protrudes to the outside of the pharynx. It is thought to be an acquired disease that occurs following the dysfunction of laryngopharynx muscle, and certain body shapes may be predisposed to this condition. We report a 56-year-old female of slim build with ZD. Computed tomography scanning revealed a hypodense lesion on the left posterior side of her upper esophagus that was filled with air and had no obvious wall. To verify this finding, a barium esophagogram was carried out which showed a round pouch at the level of the 6th cervical vertebral body that communicated with the esophagus through a narrow neck. ZD was subsequently confirmed by endoscopy. These findings provide further evidence in support of a body shape predisposition for ZD.

Zenker's diverticulum in an 85-year-old Ugandan man.

BACKGROUND: Zenker's diverticulum (ZD) is an uncommon disorder due to an outpouching of tissue through the Killian triangle that is thought to be caused by dysfunction of the cricopharyngeal muscle. CASE PRESENTATION: An 85-year-old male patient presented with odynophagia and dysphagia of initially solid food followed by fluids that was associated with a significant weight loss over a one-year period. Barium swallow videofluoroscopy demonstrated a posterior outpouching of proximal esophagus that was 2 cm from the epiglottis. With the diagnosis of medium sized ZD, the patient underwent endoscopy guided diverticulotomy. Six months after the procedure, he was asymptomatic and had gained weight. CONCLUSIONS: Dysphagia and weight loss raises a clinical suspicion for a malignancy. Barium swallow examination is an inexpensive method for the diagnosis of ZD.