eMedicine Specialties > Gastroenterology > Esophagus

Esophageal Diverticula: Follow-up

Author: Jack Bragg, DO, FACOI, Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Missouri School of Medicine
Coauthor(s): Christopher (Kit) Bartalos, DO, Fellow, Department of Gastroenterology, University of Missouri at Columbia; Rodney A Perez, MD, Medical Director, The Endoscopy Center, Asheville Gastroenterology Associates; Consulting Staff, Department of Gastroenterology, Mission St Joseph's Hospital; John B Marshall, MD, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Missouri School of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Sep 2, 2008

Follow-up

Complications

  • Recurrent aspiration pneumonia has been associated with large symptomatic esophageal diverticula and Zenker diverticula.
  • Rarely, carcinoma has been reported to develop within a diverticulum.

Patient Education

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Diverticula of the esophagus may be associated with motility disorders or structural disorders of the esophagus, such as strictures. In a patient with a known esophageal diverticulum, only experienced endoscopists should perform esophageal dilation for strictures. Esophageal dilation can be performed safely by several different means.
    • The use of through-the-scope dilating balloon catheters is an effective way of dilating the esophageal strictures while maintaining a full endoscopic view during dilation.
    • Similarly, guide wire–assisted dilation with polyvinyl dilators, with or without the use of fluoroscopy, allows for added safety during esophageal dilation in patients with esophageal diverticula.
    • Blind passage of mercury-filled rubber bougies (Maloney dilators) probably should not be performed because of the possibility of the dilator entering the diverticula with subsequent perforation. Similarly, nasogastric tubes or other nasoenteric devices are best passed with the aid of either endoscopy or fluoroscopy for the same reasons.
 


More on Esophageal Diverticula

Overview: Esophageal Diverticula
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Esophageal Diverticula
Treatment & Medication: Esophageal Diverticula
Follow-up: Esophageal Diverticula
Multimedia: Esophageal Diverticula
References
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Further Reading

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Keywords

esophageal diverticula, esophageal diverticulum, Zenker diverticulum, Zenker's diverticulum, pharyngoesophageal diverticula, hypopharynx, congenital esophageal diverticulum, acquired esophageal diverticulum, diverticulum of the esophageal body, true esophageal diverticula, false esophageal diverticula, pseudodiverticula of the esophagus, esophageal intramural pseudodiverticulosis, pulsion diverticula of the esophagus, traction diverticula of the esophagus, dysphagia, epiphrenic diverticula, regurgitation, nocturnal cough, aspiration pneumonia, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Jack Bragg, DO, FACOI, Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Missouri School of Medicine
Jack Bragg, DO, FACOI is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Osteopathic Internists and American Osteopathic Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Christopher (Kit) Bartalos, DO, Fellow, Department of Gastroenterology, University of Missouri at Columbia
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Rodney A Perez, MD, Medical Director, The Endoscopy Center, Asheville Gastroenterology Associates; Consulting Staff, Department of Gastroenterology, Mission St Joseph's Hospital
Rodney A Perez, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Gastroenterological Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John B Marshall, MD, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Missouri School of Medicine
John B Marshall, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Gastroenterology, American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Urological Association, Central Society for Clinical Research, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Maurice A Cerulli, MD, FACG, Chief, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, New York Methodist Hospital, Cornell University
Maurice A Cerulli, MD, FACG is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Association, and American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Simmy Bank, MD, Chair, Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Long Island Jewish Hospital, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Alex J Mechaber, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, and Society of General Internal Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Julian Katz, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Medicine, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital of the Medical College of Pennsylvania
Julian Katz, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Gastroenterology, American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, American Geriatrics Society, American Medical Association, American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Society of Law Medicine and Ethics, American Trauma Society, Association of American Medical Colleges, and Physicians for Social Responsibility
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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