[A comparative study of short- and long-term outcomes for transcervical versus transoral surgery for Zenker diverticulum].

INTRODUCTION AND AIM

We present our experience with open (transcervical diverticulectomy, cricomyotomy) and transoral surgery (transoral stapler diverticulostomy) for Zenker diverticulums.

METHOD

Between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2016, 29 patients were examined with a symptom-causing Zenker diverticulum. In 13 cases, transcervical surgery, in 16 cases, transoral surgery were performed. Perioperative and long-term results were evaluated and compared.

RESULTS

Patients were operated on after an average of 31 months with complaints. In both groups, the leading symptoms were severe dysphagia and severe regurgitation. No intraoperative complication was detected. In the transoral group, one patient had to be reoperated on for bleeding, another patient developed pneumonia in the transcervical group. The average duration of the surgeries (42.5 versus [vs.] 98 minutes, p<0.001), the time to oral feeding (2.9 vs. 4.6 days, p<0.001) and the mean hospital stay (7.3 vs. 9.7 days, p<0.001) were significantly shorter in the transoral group than the transcervical group. 15 patients were completely symptomless postoperatively. After transcervical treatment, complaints were developed in 2 cases (moderate dysphagia and hoarseness). After transoral surgery, recurrent symptoms were observed in 6 patients, 4 had to be reoperated transcervically due to severe regurgitation.

CONCLUSION

Transoral stapler diverticulostomy is a fast procedure and offers short hospital stay especially in comorbid, aged patients and intermedium diverticulum size. In the long term, some of the patients may require reintervention due to persistent regurgitation. The transcervical approach has higher perioperative morbidity, which can be performed in patients with less than 3 cm or large diverticulum size. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(16): 629-635.