title: Giant midoesophageal diverticulum--case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Midoesophageal diverticula >4cm in size are a medical rarity with a dozen reported cases so far. Usually, midoesophageal diverticula tend to be of small size and asymptomatic.
  
  
  METHODS
  We herein present a case of a woman suffering from a midoesophageal diverticulum in a very large dimension--never described in the current literature before--who successfully underwent surgical resection via thoracotomy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If symptomatic, common symptoms are dysphagia and regurgitation. The risk of malignant transformation is low. Treatment of midoesophageal diverticula is based on size and symptoms of the patient. Asymptomatic or small diverticula detected during routine endoscopy can be followed-up without further therapy, whereas symptomatic or large diverticula should be treated surgically by resection. Myotomy should be performed if any motility disorder is evident. Open as well as minimal invasive approach by thoracoscopical surgery is both feasible.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral, Vascular and Pediatric Surgery, University of the Saarland, 66421, Homburg, Saar, Germany. anne.kauffels@uks.eu
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kauffels
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schuld
authors.forename: Martin K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Schilling
authors.forename: Otto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kollmar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D004936:Diverticulum, Esophageal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed