Endoscopic treatment of the hypopharyngeal diverticulum: 211 cases.

It is somewhat surprising that endoscopic treatment of hypopharyngeal diverticula has failed to become as widely known as the method merits in our opinion. In principle we use the Dohlman procedure. The septum between diverticulum and esophageal lumen is divided with a diathermic knife after electrocoagulation. In larger diverticula we prefer to divide the tissue bridge in several sessions. Endoscopic treatment (under local anesthesia, if necessary) can be carried out in patients whose general condition is poor. From 1964 until 1980 we have endoscopically treated 211 patients, including 6 patients with a recurrent diverticulum after transcutaneous surgery. The complication rate is low and the complications were successfully controlled except in 1 patient, who died from cardiac failure 2 days after operation. Ultimately 193 patients (91.5%) are very satisfied and 17 patients (8%) are fairly satisfied with the therapeutic result. We feel justified in maintaining that endoscopic treatment of hypopharyngeal diverticula can be regarded as a good method of treatment.