Surgery upon the cervical vertebrae may produce prolonged dysphagia due to regional damage, hemorrhage, infection, and denervation. Cases illustrating these problems are presented with attention to the progression of the clinical course and the diagnostic modalities of radiology and endoscopy. Methods of prevention are emphasized and the therapeutic plan is outlined.
LambertJRTeppermanPSJiminezJNewmanA. Cervical spine disease and dysphagia. Am J Gastroenterol1981; 76: 35–40
2.
MeeksLWRenshawTS. Vertebral osteophytosis and dysphagia. J Bone Joint Surg [Am]1973; 55: 197–201
3.
YeeCWongHYFewerHDRogersAG. Two cases of dysphagia due to cervical spine osteophytes successfully treated surgically. Can Med Assoc J1985; 132: 810–3
4.
SobolSMRigualNR. Anterolateral extrapharyngeal approach for cervical osteophyte-induced dysphagia. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol1984; 93: 498–504
5.
ClowardRB. Wiederherstellungschirurgie und TraumatologicVol 7. New York: Karger, 1963: 148–85
6.
ClowardRB. The anterior approach for removal of ruptured cervical disks. J Neurosurg1958; 15: 602–17
7.
EliesW. Oesophageale Komplikation nach zervikalen ventraler Fusionsoperation. HNO1979; 27: 380–1
8.
WhitecloudTS. Management of radiculopathy and myelopathy by the anterior approach. In: BaileyRWSherkHHDunnEJ, ed. The cervical spine. Cervical Spine Research Society. Philadelphia: JB Lippincott, 1983: 411–7
9.
Vanden BrinkKDEdmonsonAS. The spine. In: EdmonsonASCrenshawAH, ed. Campbell's operative orthopedics. St Louis: CV Mosby Co, 1980: (chap 21)
10.
ChristensenJ. The innervation and motility of the esophagus. Front Gastrointest Res1978; 3: 18–32
11.
BrashJCJamiesonEB, eds. Cunningham's text-book of anatomy. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1951.
