Gastroesophageal obstruction from food in an epiphrenic esophageal diverticulum.

An epiphrenic diverticulum is usually accompanied by esophageal motor disorders, diaphragmatic hernia, or esophagitis. Symptoms are rarely attributable to the diverticulum except very rarely when no other explanation for dysphagia or chest pain is demonstrated. We describe acute esophageal obstruction from food accumulating in an epiphrenic diverticulum and compressing the gastroesophageal junction, and we confirm the mechanism with an artificial balloon.