title: A rare cause of dysphagia: compression of the esophagus by an anterior cervical osteophyte due to ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatological disease affecting the axial skeleton with various extra-articular complications. Dysphagia due to a giant anterior osteophyte of the cervical spine in AS is extremely rare. We present a 48-year-old male with AS suffering from progressive dysphagia to soft foods and liquids. Esophagography showed an anterior osteophyte at C5-C6 resulting in esophageal compression. The patient refused surgical resection of the osteophyte and received conservative therapy. However, after 6 months there was no improvement in dysphagia. This case illustrates that a large cervical osteophyte may be the cause of dysphagia in patients with AS and should be included in the diagnostic workup in early stages of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Beysehir Public Hospital, Konya, Turkey. ilknurftr@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ilknur
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Albayrak
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bağcacı
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sallı
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kucuksen
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uğurlu
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003679:Deglutition; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054850:Osteophyte / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Cervical spine; Deglutition disorders; Esophageal compression; Osteophyte; Spondylitis, ankylosing