Zenker's diverticulum (patient information)
Template:Zenker's Diverticulum (patient information)
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:
Overview
Patients with small Zenker's diverticulum are usually asymptomatic, the severity of the symptoms is proportional to the size of the diverticulum. The most common symptoms include difficulty in swallowing, local pain, food regurgitation, bad breath, coughing, change in voice, bronchitis; less common symptoms include difficulty in swallowing the pills, drooling, choking, food stuck on sensation, weight loss, gurgling sounds in the throat, Bloody sputum and vomit.
What are the Symptoms of (Disease name)?
The hallmark of ZD is difficulty in swallowing. The most common symptoms of ZD include bad breath, reflux of food into the mouth, coughing.
Asymptomatic in patients with small Zenker's diverticulum, the severity of the symptoms is proportional to the size of the diverticulum.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Common symptoms
Local pain
Food reflux
Infection of the lungs
Less common symptoms
Pills stuck in the throat
Choking on the food
Weight loss
Gurgling sounds in the throat
Hemoptysis- Blood in the Phlem
Hematemesis- Bloody vomitings
What Causes (disease name)?
- Zenker's diverticulum is an acquired sac-like outpouching of the mucosa and submucosa layers originating from the food pipe.Since it involves only the mucosa and submucosa it is a false diverticulum.
- Killian's dehiscence- the point of weakness over the food pipe, which eventually develops a sac-like projection.
- ZD occurs due to increased pressure within the food pipe.
- A subsequent incomplete opening of the sphincter of the food pipe, causing the protrusion of the muscles of the food pipe.
- ZD causes the disorder of the swallowing, affecting the functions such as chewing, initiating the swallowing.
Who is at Highest Risk?
The people at risk of developing Zenker's diverticulum (ZD) are
- Middle-aged and elderly individuals
- Men are commonly affected than females
- People of northern Europe are more prone for developing the ZD
Diagnosis
When to Seek Urgent Medical Care?
Treatment Options
Where to find Medical Care for (Disease name)?
Medical care for (disease name) can be found here.
Prevention
What to Expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible Complications
Sources
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000434.htm
- ↑ "Zenker's diverticulum: exploring treatment options".
- ↑ "Zenker's diverticula: pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and flexible endoscopic management. - PubMed - NCBI".
- ↑ "Zenker's Diverticulum. - PubMed - NCBI".
- ↑ "[Hypopharyngeal Zenker's diverticulum as a clinical and surgical problem]. - PubMed - NCBI".
- ↑ "Simultaneously occurring Zenker's diverticulum and Killian-Jamieson diverticulum: case report and literature review. - PubMed - NCBI".
- ↑ Ferreira LE, Simmons DT, Baron TH (2008). "Zenker's diverticula: pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and flexible endoscopic management". Dis. Esophagus. 21 (1): 1–8. doi:10.1111/j.1442-2050.2007.00795.x. PMID 18197932.