A CASE OF GIANT ESOPHAGEAL DIVERTICULUM

Abstract

We experienced a case of giant esophageal diverticulum, which was found by an occurrence of sticking sansation of the throat and was surgically excised for its rapid enlargement. The patient was being treated with long-term oral steroid regimen for rheumatoid arthritis.A 50-years-old woman who had had lung tuberculosis was found to have an esophageal diverticulum 6.0×3.0 cm in size with a base of 2.5 cm in length at the left side wall of the middle of pars thoracica in April 1981. The patient was in strict observation, and in January 1985 it enlarged to be about 2.9 times in size, namely, 4.0 cm in base length and 9.5×5.5 cm in size. Operation was performed on January 22, 1985. Histologically it was a pseudodiverticulum involving a few specific muscle layer. We can provide an etiologic speculation that a long-term internal use of steroid for rheumatoid arthritis resulted in a weakening of esophageal muscle layer, where capsular contracture after lung tuberculosis was added and traction diverticulum occurred which enlarged in pulsion manner, leading to pseudodiverticulum.