title: Anterior cervical osteophytes: a rare cause of dysphagia.
abstract: Anterior cervical osteophyte is a rare cause of dysphagia usually occurring in the elderly. We report two cases in which the anterior cervical osteophytes impinged upon the esophagus, and we describe their surgical management. Initial investigation of a case of dysphagia should be directed to the common causes; however, in the elderly and in those with disorders of the cervical spine an anterior cervical osteophyte may be the cause of dysphagia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Sudhakar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: al Hakeem
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Quader
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: MacArthur
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shear
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging