Zenker's Diverticulum

Zenker's Diverticulum is an esophageal pouch that develops in the throat just above the upper esophagus.

Symptoms

Zenker's Diverticulum causes debilitating difficulty swallowing solids and/or liquids (dysphagia) and regurgitation of food.

Symptoms include:

• Difficulty swallowing
• Feeling swallowed material struck in the throat
• Bad breath
• Choking
• Chronic cough
• Weight loss
• Aspiration of food into lungs

Causes

Zenker's Diverticulum is caused by an abnormal tightening of the upper esophageal sphincter (also called the cricopharyngeal muscle). As a result of tightening of this muscle, pressure builds along the wall of the throat above this sphincter muscle. The diverticulum forms because of the relative increased pressure exerted on this weak area during swallowing.

Diagnosis

MetroHealth can diagnose Zenker’s Diverticulum in several different ways:

• Barium swallow: Patients swallow a barium preparation (liquid or other form), and a series of x-rays track the movement of the barium through the esophagus. The barium swallow will show the pouch.
• Upper endoscopy: A flexible, narrow tube with a camera on it is passed down the patient’s esophagus, which allows the specialist to see malformations

Why Choose MetroHealth for Treatment

MetroHealth offers the latest minimally invasive surgical treatments for Zenker’s diverticulum to relieve the obstruction to swallowing – no open neck surgery required.

Our surgeons can perform the Zenker’s peroral endoscopic myotomy (Z-POEM) endoscopic procedure to cut the tight upper esophagus muscle and the party wall between the esophagus and the pouch to eliminate the obstruction. There are no external incisions, and the patient has a quicker recovery. After the surgery, the patient has an overnight hospital stay and can rapidly return to full activity. Diet is slowly advanced over the following few weeks.