An unusual cause of dysphagia in elderly, dysphagia caused by cervical osteophytes: a case report and review of literature

Abstract

<p class="abstract">Dysphagia may occur in various pathological, inflammatory diseases of esophagus. It may also occur due to motility disorders of esophagus, benign and malignant diseases of mediastinum, cervical spine diseases. Dysphagia secondary to compression of esophagus by a cervical osteophyte is rare. The most common causes of osteophyte (bony outgrowth) in the cervical spine are diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and cervical spondylosis. Patients with cervical osteophytes are mostly asymptomatic. Hence, when considering cervical osteophytes as a cause of dysphagia other pathologic entities in the esophagus (e.g. tumors, webs, rings, strictures) should be excluded. We present a 68 year female patient who presented with complaints of dysphagia and neck stiffness since 3 months. She has been evaluated and found that dysphagia is due to large anterior cervical osteophytes compressing pharynx at C2/C3 and esophagus at C5/C6 and C6/C7 vertebral levels respectively. The objective of this case report is to emphasize the importance of anterior cervical osteophyte as a cause of dysphagia in elderly.</p>