Esophagus diverticulum

Diverticulum of the esophagus - a fairly common disease that occurs most often in older people, but can develop in those who suffer from various diseases of the digestive system (peptic ulcer and duodenal ulcer, cholecystitis). Its official name is the protrusion of the esophagus. This bulging communicates with the esophagus and can develop in any part of it. However, the most common diverticulum is bifurcation, pharyngeal-esophageal and epiphrenic.

The vast majority of diverticula are single. It is much less common to find a plural cluster of them.

Diverticul is found primarily in men over 50 years of age. There is an opinion that it develops as a result of aging and thinning of tissues.

Causes

Diverticulum of an esophagus of an innate character is infrequent and often associated with congenital muscular weakness of the esophageal wall sections.

Diverticulum of the esophagus of the acquired character can develop in the following situations:

- In inflammatory processes, which are likely to occur in the esophagus (esophagospasm, achalasia cardia), if it enters the gastro-acid medium, inflammation of the lymph nodes (histoplasmosis);

- if there are injuries of a surgical nature that have violated the integrity of the muscular shell. They also contribute to the appearance of protrusion;

- In addition, diverticulum can be a consequence of disruption of the normal operation of the esophagus, the occurrence of spastic contractions and contractions of the membrane;

- sometimes the wall of the esophagus fuses with a number of located organs. Usually it is the lymph nodes of the mediastinum, which have undergone inflammation. In this case, the esophageal wall stretches in the direction of this organ, and a protrusion develops on the weakened wall;

- Tumors.

Quite often, these conditions are observed simultaneously, which increases the risk of diverticula appearance.

Symptoms of esophageal diverticulum

It is practically impossible to determine when exactly this sack-like formation occurs on the esophagus wall. For several years, the patient can notice only minor symptoms: a sore throat, excessive salivation, a cough after eating (a filled diverticulum exerts pressure, causing similar difficulties), a feeling of dryness in the throat, often expectoration of food eaten recently.

The diverticulum of the esophagus looks like a large, rounded formation. The contours are smooth, when swallowed, it moves upward. If inflammatory processes occur in the diverticulum, some discomfort may be felt, and if the protrusion is localized in the thoracic zone of the esophagus, then it is possible to swallow. The diverticulum in this case has low displacement and has uneven contours. To detect such a diverticulum can only be in the lateral position when swallowing. Diverticulum located in the lower part of the esophagus can be palpated. However, this is possible only when it is filled, or if inflammatory processes have already begun to take place in it. In clinical conditions, X-rays are taken in different positions of the body for the best examination of the affected area.

Esophagus diverticulum: treatment

As a rule, in most cases the diverticulum does not cause any special complications in the patient and the treatment of diverticulitis passes quite effectively. However, if an inflammatory process is observed, then excision is performed. Subsequently, the wall of the esophagus is restored. A small diverticulum can simply "screw" into the esophagus, and the wall is strengthened with sutures and local tissues.

The age of the patient affects the treatment. In cases where, in addition to this disease, there are other, more severe, and the patient's age does not allow the operation to be carried out, permanent supervision is appointed.