[Esophageal complications following ventral cervical disc surgery (author's transl)]

Abstract

A number of complications can occur following cervical vertebral fusions of intervertebral disc lesions. These include hypoglossal or recurrent laryngeal nerve paresis, inflammation of the operative wound, injuries of the esophagus and hypopharynx, as well as instability of alloplastic fusion material and spinal cord injury with tetraplegia. Cloward has reported transient postoperative dysphagia in 80% of patients. We describe a patient suffering from persistent dysphagia after cervical fusion. The symptoms were caused by adhesions between the esophagus and prevertebral muscles and a sharp edge of osteochondrosis of the vertebral body. The importance of surgical treatment in such patients is discussed.