RE: Endoscopic Diverticulotomy of Zenker’s Diverticulum: Management and Complications (Dysphagia 17:34–39)

Excerpt

Recently, an article entitled “Endoscopic Diverticulotomy of Zenker’s Diverticulum: Management and Complications” was presented in Dysphagia [1]. It was a retrospective review of 52 individuals over two decades who underwent endoscopic laser or scissor treatment of their Zenker’s diverticulum. The article is cause for concern for a number of reasons. For many surgeons who use endoscopic therapy, laser techniques have been replaced by endoscopic stapling. The author’s complication rate of more than 12%, with two individuals requiring an emergency external approach to control severe bleeding, is extraordinary. The reported complication rates for endoscopic stapling are markedly lower. Five articles that comprised a total number of 230 patients reviewed their results and there were no episodes of significant hemorrhage. The articles reported a major complication rate ranging from to 0% to 3% [2,3,4,5,6]. …