title: Outcomes of endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy with CO2 laser surgery: A retrospective study of 47 patients.
abstract: Endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy (ECPM) using CO2 laser surgery presents a less invasive treatment technique when compared to transcervical cricopharyngeal myotomy.
  
  
  
  Forty-seven patients who underwent ECPM from 2002 until 2013 were included in this study. Patient characteristics, and preoperative and postoperative outcome and complications were scored by retrospective chart review and by using the Deglutition Handicap Index (DHI).
  
  
  
  Overall, 40 of 47 patients (85%) experienced relief of symptoms postoperatively. Ten patients (25%) developed recurrent symptoms of dysphagia requiring re-laser surgery. All 40 patients were satisfied at the postoperative visit after an average of 1.3 interventions. DHI scores were better in patients with idiopathic dysfunction and neurologic disease, compared to dysfunction because of prior treatment of head and neck cancer. One patient developed mediastinitis that was successfully treated with antibiotics. There was no mortality.
  
  
  
  ECPM is an effective treatment for cricopharyngeal dysfunction with a low rate of surgical morbidity and complications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1022-1027, 2016.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoesseini
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jimmie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Honings
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rabia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taus-Mohamedradja
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frank J A
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: van den Hoogen
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henri A M
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Marres
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Guido B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: van den Broek
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Section of Speech and Language Therapy, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hanneke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kalf
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Takes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000601:surgery; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D000074433:Myotomy / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010609:Pharyngeal Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide
keywords: complications; cricopharyngeal dysfunction; endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy; indication; outcome