Management of vallecular pseudodiverticulum.
Vallecular pseudodiverticulum following laryngectomy may be responsible for dysphagia if large enough to compress the cervical esophagus. The pouch probably represents a defect caused by the antagonistic action of tongue and inferior constrictor muscles in laryngectomy repair. Initially, the pocket may remain limited or may form a pharyngocutaneous fistulous tract. Two laryngectomy patients who developed a large vallecular pseudodiverticulum were sufficiently symptomatic to require surgical management. An external approach was used successfully to resect the party wall between the diverticulum and the cervical esophagus.
D000368:Aged; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D004936:Diverticulum, Esophageal / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007825:Laryngectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery