Clinical evaluation of surgery for osteophyte-associated dysphagia using the functional outcome swallowing scale

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis of the cervical spine causing dysphagia and airway obstruction: an updated systematic review

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is characterized by growing ossifications of spinal entheses and tendons, which may cause trachea and esophagus compression when located anteriorly in the cervical spine.

PURPOSE

Our previous systematic review on the epidemiological and clinical knowledge of dysphagia and airway obstruction caused by cervical DISH was updated, with a focus on (surgical) treatment and outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN

A systematic review of the literature was performed.

METHODS

Publications in Medline and EMBASE from July 2010 to June 2021 were searched. Two investigators performed data extraction and study specific quality assessment.

RESULTS

A total of 138 articles (112 case reports and 26 case series) were included, describing 419 patients with dysphagia and/or airway obstruction. The mean age of the patient group was 67.3 years (range: 35-91 years), and 85.4% was male. An evident increase of published cases was observed within the last decade. Surgical treatment was chosen for 66% of patients with the anterolateral approach most commonly used. The total complication rate after surgery was 22.1%, with 12.7% occurring within 1 month after intervention. Improvement of dysphagia was observed in 95.5% of operated patients. After a mean follow-up of 3.7 years (range: 0.4-9.0 years), dysphagia recurred in 12 surgically treated patients (4%), of which five patients had osteophyte regrowth.

CONCLUSIONS

The number of published cases of dysphagia in patients with DISH has doubled in the last decade compared to our previous review. Yet, randomized studies or guidelines on the treatment or prevention on recurrence are lacking. Surgical treatment is effective and has low (major) complication rates. Common trends established across the cases in our study may help improve our understanding and management of dysphagia and airway obstruction in cervical DISH.

Dysphagia due to anterior cervical osteophytosis: case report

Anterior cervical osteophytosis is a noninflammatory condition characterized by calcification or ossification of the anterolateral paravertebral ligaments of the cervical spine. It affects 20 to 30% of the elderly, being responsible for 1.6% of the identifiable etiologies of dysphagia in the senile population. In advanced states, dysphagia due to cervical osteophytosis can lead to complications such as malnutrition, weight loss and aspiration pneumonia. This study aims to alert to this diagnosis, enabling early treatment of the condition. The case of a 66-year-old male patient with choking dysphagia for solids and nasal food reflux for 1 year is reported. Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing showed bulging of the posterior pharyngeal wall and, with solid food supply, restriction to the retroflexion of the epiglottis, nasal reflux of the food and a large amount of food residue on the lesion. Cervical spine Computed Tomography identified the presence of anterior cervical osteophytes between the C3 and C6 vertebrae, the largest with anteroposterior length of 12 millimeters, narrowing the air column at the level of the oro- and hypopharynx. The patient was adequately treated with swallowing therapy by speech-language pathologist. The initial treatment strategy for symptomatic osteophytosis should be conservative, usually with a good response to swallowing therapy. Although they are rarely implicated in the etiology of dysphagia, considering its high prevalence, it is important that otolaryngologists and speech-language pathologists are attentive to this diagnosis, allowing early and effective treatment for the assisted patient, better prognosis and fewer complications of oropharyngeal dysphagia in the elderly.

Dysphagia revealing diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis: report of two cases and literature review

Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH) also known as Forestier's disease, is a musculoskeletal disorder characterized by the calcification of ligaments essentially the vertebral longitudinal anterior ligament. Men are generally affected. It is often asymptomatic. The most common extra-spinal clinical manifestation of this disease presents as dysphagia followed by respiratory disturbances such as dyspnea and sleep apnea. In this paper we discuss two cases where the patients have experienced progressive dysphagia. Radiological findings were compatible with DISH. The management was based on diet modification and anti-inflammatory medication.