Modern Pathophysiology and Treatment of Esophageal Diverticula

Overview

Journal Langenbecks Arch Surg

Specialty General Surgery

Date 2011 Sep 3

PMID 21887578

Citations 37

Authors

Fernando A M Herbella

Marco G Patti

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Esophageal diverticula are rare. They may occur in the pharyngoesophageal area (Zenker's), midesophagus, or distally (epiphrenic). A motility disorder (either at the level of the esophageal sphincters or body) is frequently associated with esophageal diverticula. The risk of malignant transformation is low.

Methods: A literature search was performed using Medline/PubMed database.

Results: The treatment of esophageal diverticula must be based on the pathophysiology and natural history of the disease: (a) asymptomatic diverticula do not need a specific treatment, (b) small diverticula may be left in place and not resected, (c) medium-size diverticula may be either treated by diverticulectomy, diverticulopexy, or esophagodiverticulostomy in case of pharyngoesophageal diverticula, (d) resection is probably the ideal therapy for larger diverticula, and (e) a myotomy should always be included to the procedure.

Conclusions: Due to its rarity, esophageal diverticula must be treated by esophageal surgeons since even in experienced hands the complication rate can be significant.

Citing Articles

A preventable medical error: Successful management of iatrogenic Zenker's diverticulum perforation.

Alrahil A, Moumena E, Aljanadi M, Nassar M, Hasan T Int J Surg Case Rep. 2025; 127:110859.

PMID: 39813980 PMC: 11782893. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2025.110859.

Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticulectomy with Myotomy.

Farooqi N, Lossia O, Pacheco F, Shaheen S, Ghanem M CRSLS. 2024; 11(2).

PMID: 39439555 PMC: 11495856. DOI: 10.4293/CRSLS.2024.00015.

Laparoscopic Transhiatal Resection of an Esophageal Diverticulum in a Patient With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report.

Ozawa T, Shoda K, Kawaguchi Y, Maruyama S, Higuchi Y, Saito R Cureus. 2024; 16(8):e68120.

PMID: 39347251 PMC: 11438552. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.68120.

An Epiphrenic Diverticulum with Previous Perforation Excised Laparoscopically.

Yadav A, Nundy S Case Rep Surg. 2024; 2024:3556567.

PMID: 38903609 PMC: 11189677. DOI: 10.1155/2024/3556567.

Atypical presentation of an epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum 20 years post fundoplication: a case report and review.

Tasabehji D, Jarrah M, Mokadem M J Surg Case Rep. 2024; 2024(5):rjae316.

PMID: 38872729 PMC: 11138112. DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjae316.

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