Cervical hyperostosis: a rare cause of dysphagia. Case description and bibliographical survey.

Dysphagia can be caused by disorders of the cervical spine. Very seldomly, prominent osteophytes of the ventral spine are responsible. The case of a 63-year-old patient with large anterior osteophytes from C3 to C7 is presented. The successful ablation of these spondylophytes relieved the patient of his swallowing difficulties. Up to now there have been many different opinions about the etiology of this disease. In this special case, a diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, also known as Forestier's disease or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, seems to be the most likely cause.