title: Significant symptomatic relief after transoral endoscopic staple-assisted treatment of Zenker's diverticulum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zenker's diverticulum is associated with characteristic symptoms of progressive dysphagia and regurgitation. As most patients are elderly, the perioperative risk is usually high. We report our clinical experience with the transoral endoscopic staple-assisted method, including a thorough assessment of the symptomatic relief achieved by the procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  46 consecutive patients (29 m, 17 f) with a median age of 61 years (range, 37-96 years) were treated between 1997 and 2002. The symptoms and their frequency were registered. The follow-up consisted of clinical and radiographic investigations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median size of the diverticulum was 4 cm (range, 2-12 cm). Transoral treatment was successful in 39 patients; in 7 cases (15.2%) a switch to open surgery was required. The median operating time was 30 min (range, 10-150 min). Mortality rate was nil, while morbidity was 7.7%. The median duration of the postoperative hospital stay was 5 days (range, 1-65 days). After a median follow-up of 11 months (range, 1-40 months), 5 patients had been reoperated on endoscopically due to clinical recurrence. Clinical symptoms were significantly reduced (dysphagia of liquids p <or= 0.0001, dysphagia of solids p <or= 0.001, regurgitation p <or= 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm that minimal invasive treatment of Zenker's diverticulum is a safe method and provides significant symptomatic relief.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Vienna Medical School, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiari
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yeganehfar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scharitzer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mittlböck
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Armbruster
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roka
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Függer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wenzl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pokieser
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bischof
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003680:Deglutition Disorders; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017792:Surgical Stapling; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016672:Zenker Diverticulum / Q000601:surgery*