Cricopharyngeal achalasia produces dysphagia in many patients. The spasm has been treated
in the past with medication, bouginage, pharyngeal plexus neurectomy, and cricopharyngeal
myotomy. In some patients the cause of dysphagia may be elusive, or the patient may be a
poor risk for a surgical intervention. We have found that cricopharyngeal muscle
injections of botulinum toxin can be useful in the diagnosis and therapy of
cricopharyngeal spasm.
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