Zenker's diverticulum: diverticulopexy versus diverticulectomy

• Published in: Annales de chirurgie Vol. 126; no. 1; p. 42
• Main Authors: Leporrier, J, Salamé, E, Gignoux, M, Ségol, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 01.02.2001
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Barium Sulfate; Esophagoscopy; Female; Humans; Male; Morbidity; Patient Selection; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome; Zenker Diverticulum - diagnosis; Zenker Diverticulum - physiopathology; Zenker Diverticulum - surgery
• ISSN: 0003-3944
• DOI: 10.1016/S0003-3944(00)00455-7

The aim of this retrospective, nonrandomized study was to compare the results of diverticulectomy and diverticulopexy in the treatment of Zenker's diverticulum. Over the 10-year period between 1988 and 1998, surgery for Zenker's diverticulum was performed in 40 patients. The study group consisted of 23 men and 17 women with a mean age of 72 years. Only 39 patients were evaluated. In 19 patients, treatment consisted of cricopharyngeal myotomy and diverticulum suspension; in the other 19 patients, treatment consisted of diverticulectomy in addition to myotomy. Only one patient had a diverticulectomy without myotomy. There was no mortality and the morbidity rate was low: one fistula, one pneumonia, three cases of transient dysphonia and one hematoma. The results were excellent in 36 patients, and good in 3 patients. Cricopharyngeal myotomy with diverticulopexy is particularly suitable for geriatric patients. Diverticulectomy is proposed in the case of a diverticulum larger than 6 cm and for young patients to prevent the risk of malignant transformation.