title: Microendoscopic treatment of the hypopharyngeal diverticulum with the CO2 laser.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The hypopharyngeal (Zenker's) diverticulum is a herniation of mucosa and submucosa on the posterior wall of the pharynx. The only treatment is surgical.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1976 and 1993, 109 patients with a hypopharyngeal diverticulum were operated on at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kiel, either transcutaneously combined with a cricopharyngeal myotomy (n = 76), or microendoscopically (n = 37) using the CO2 laser. Results and complications of both techniques were evaluated and compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With both surgical procedures, > 90% of the patients were treated successfully. The rate of postoperative complications was generally low. In comparison to the microendoscopic procedure, serious complications were found to be more frequent in patients treated with the conventional transcutaneous diverticulectomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The laser surgical tissue bridge dissection is a less invasive, quick, relatively safe, and effective procedure requiring only short hospitalisation. Therefore, the laser surgical tissue bridge dissection can be considered as the method of choice for the treatment of the hypopharyngeal diverticulum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lippert
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Folz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gottschlich
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016672:Zenker Diverticulum / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide