January 27, 2010

New Surgical Approach to Treat Small Zenker's Diverticulum


In the January 2010 edition of Laryngoscope, an interesting paper entitled "Transoral resection of short segment Zenker's diverticulum and cricopharyngeal myotomy: an alternative minimally invasive approach" was published on a new endoscopic approach to surgically treat very small Zenker's Diverticulum. This endoscopic approach is also able to treat cricopharyngeal spasms/hypertrophy.

Just as for the Endoscopic Staple Diverticulostomy (ESD), the most common endoscopic approach to treat Zenker's diverticulum, a Weerda laryngoscope is used to visualize the pouch. However, instead of using a stapler to treat the pouch, the pouch is everted into the esophagus and the pouch excised. The cricopharyngeal muscle is than incised under the microscope as well as endoscopically before the mucosal incision is closed using sutures.

The authors have called this procedure Trans-Oral Resection of Diverticula (TORD). When used to treat the cricopharyngeal muscle only, the procedure is called Trans-Oral Cricopharyngeal Myotomy (TOCPM).

Patients generally go home after 24 hours.

Read more about this research here.

No... our office does not offer these procedures at this time. Only the ESD approach.
Fauquier blog
Fauquier ENT

Dr. Christopher Chang is a private practice otolaryngology, head & neck surgeon specializing in the treatment of problems related to the ear, nose, and throat. Located in Warrenton, VA about 45 minutes west of Washington DC, he also provides inhalant allergy testing/treatment, hearing tests, and dispenses hearing aids.


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