title: Relation between functional dysphagia and vocal cord palsy after transhiatal oesophagectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the incidence, natural course, and possible pathogenesis of dysphagia that is not caused by anastomotic stricture, after transhiatal oesophagectomy and gastric tube reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  District teaching hospital, The Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  22 patients who had transhiatal oesophagectomy and gastric tube reconstruction for cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Incidence of dysphagia that is not caused by anastomotic stricture one week after operation, and presence of this functional dysphagia and correlation with vocal cord palsy at 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of functional dysphagia was 7 out of 22 (32%); it was self-limiting in 5 out of 7 (71%) of the cases and associated with the incidence of vocal cord palsy (p = 0.0006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional dysphagia after transhiatal oesophagectomy occurs frequently, but is self-limiting in most patients. Injury to branches of the recurrent laryngeal nerve is a likely cause.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Diakonessenhuis Utrecht, The Netherlands. jpierie@partners.org
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pierie
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goedegebuure
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Schuerman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leguit
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D004944:Esophagoplasty / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D061226:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Injuries; D012307:Risk Factors; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*