Cricopharyngeal myotomy as a method of treating cricopharyngeal dysphagia secondary to gastroesophageal reflux.

Food obstruction at the cricopharyngeal level is a common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux. In selected patients, cricopharyngeal myotomy is effective in relief of symptoms. We have used myotomy in patients whose only symptom was dysphagia, in patients too debilitated for major surgery, and in patients with persistent pharyngoesophageal dysphagia following hiatal hernia repair. All were studied by barium esophagogram, endoscopy, and manometry. Radiologic aspiration of barium was apparent in five of 19 patients. High-speed manometric tracings showed intermittent cricopharyngeal incoordination in the six consecutive patients most recently studied. This finding of incoordination has been shown to be present in 38 patients with reflux and in all with major cricopharyngeal symptoms. Myotomy was effective in relieving symptoms in patients in whom this was the only reflux symptom and in the five patients too debilitated for major surgery. Good symptomatic improvement was obtained in nine of the 12 with persistent dysphagia following hernia repair, but in three relief was partial, with persistent symptoms being secondary to distal esophageal obstruction. Investigation is necessary to exclude other causes of dysphagia. However, withcareful selection, myotomy has proved to be an effective method of treatment.