title: Choking, sore throat with referred otalgia and dysphagia in a patient with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH).
abstract: A patient with a progressively increasing immobilisation of the cervical spine, severe impaired swallowing (choking), sore throat with referred right-sided otalgia, mild voice disorder and dysphagia due to extrinsic bone compression of the posterior hypopharyngeal wall and oesophagus is presented. Radiographic investigation demonstrated the underlying condition to be a diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis with prominent and bumpy alteration of the anterior longitudinal ligament impinging the hypopharynx. Via an anterolateral approach towards the cervical spine the anterior irregular part of the ossification was removed and the surface of the spine flattened. The postoperative evolution was uneventful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Allergy, AZ Jan Palfijn Gent, H. Dunantlaan 5, Gent, Belgium. didier.ebo@janpalfijingent.be
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Ebo
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Uytterhaegen
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lagae
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vander Mijnsbrugge
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goffin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004433:Earache / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D004057:Hyperostosis, Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome