Modern treatment options for Zenker's diverticulum: indications and results

Conventional transcervical therapy of Zenker's diverticulum comprises diverticulectomy, invagination, diverticulopexy and myotomy, which may be combined with the aforementioned methods. Transoral diverticuloesophagostomy is performed by diathermy, lasers or staplers through a rigid esophagoscope, or more recently by diathermy applied via a flexible endoscope. Morbidity of transcervical procedures ranges between 3 (myotomy) and 23 % (diverticulectomy + myotomy). The percentage of patients with at least significantly improved symptoms is 92 % or more, while recurrences occur in 5.7 (diverticulectomy alone) to 21 % (invagination). Transoral procedures have a morbidity of 9 (stapler) to 26 % (Laser), while symptoms improve in 91 (diathermy through rigid esophagoscope) to 99 % (diathermy via flexible endoscope), however in up to 64 % of patients reoperations are necessary. Small diverticula (Brombart I/II) can be treated by diverticulectomy (with/without myotomy) or flexible endoscopy, larger diverticula in general by all methods. Patients younger than 60 years should undergo diverticulectomy, elderly multimorbid patients should be treated by transoral procedures.