ZENKERS DIVERTICULUM: A RARE ENTITY

Zenkers diverticulum is a rare cause of dysphagia and is not commonly seen in clinical practice. It may present as regurgitation of food, dysphagia, nocturnal cough or bad breath. A 52-year-old man gave three months history of difficulty swallowing along with regurgitation of food after lying down, intermittently associate with  sensation of food getting stuck in his throat. The symptoms were evident with solid food, and he would often regurgitate undigested food after few hours of ingestion of the same. On performing endoscopy, diverticulum was noted in upper oesophagus and endoscope repeatedly entered in it and was not able to be pushed into oesophagus beyond diverticulum, even after repeated attempts. The patient underwent Contrast enhanced computed tomography test of upper chest which revealed wide neck (diameter 13 mm) oral contrast filled pharyngeal outpouching measuring approximately 43 (cc) x 32x 28 (AP) mm seen from posterior wall of hypopharynx at C5-6 vertebral level projecting posterior left laterally- suggestive of Zenkers diverticulum. He was advised surgical consultation but he preferred to go to some higher centre for the same and has not reported after that till date.