Esophageal diverticulum

Changed by Mohammad Taghi Niknejad, 22 May 2022

Updates to Article Attributes

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Oesophageal diverticula are sac or pouch projections arising from the oesophagus.

Epidemiology

They can occur in all ages but more frequent in adults and elderly people.

Pathology

Oesophageal diverticula are either:

  • true diverticula: include all oesophageal layers
  • false diverticula: contain only mucosa and submucosa herniating through the muscular layer (e.g. Zenker diverticulum)

Oesophageal diverticula are classified according to the mechanism of formation into:

  • traction diverticula: occurs secondary to pulling forces on the outer aspect of the oesophagus
  • pulsion diverticula: occurs secondary to increased intraluminal pressure (e.g. Zenker diverticulum)

Classification

They can be classified according to their location:

Upper oesophageal diverticula
Middle oesophageal diverticula
  • traction diverticula: are (true diverticula) which occur secondary to scarring, fibrosis and inflammatory processes (tuberculous adenitis) in the mediastinum pulling on the oesophageal wall
  • pulsion diverticula: are usually false diverticula and occur secondary to abnormal increased intraluminal pressure against a weak oesophageal segment
Lower oesophageal diverticula
  • -<a title="traction diverticula" href="/articles/traction-esophageal-diverticulum"><strong>traction diverticula</strong></a>: occurs secondary to pulling forces on the outer aspect of the oesophagus</li>
  • +<a href="/articles/traction-esophageal-diverticulum"><strong>traction diverticula</strong></a>: occurs secondary to pulling forces on the outer aspect of the oesophagus</li>
  • -<a title="traction diverticula" href="/articles/traction-esophageal-diverticulum">traction diverticula</a>: are (true diverticula) which occur secondary to scarring, fibrosis and inflammatory processes (tuberculous adenitis) in the <a href="/articles/mediastinum-1">mediastinum</a> pulling on the oesophageal wall</li>
  • +<a href="/articles/traction-esophageal-diverticulum">traction diverticula</a>: are (true diverticula) which occur secondary to scarring, fibrosis and inflammatory processes (tuberculous adenitis) in the <a href="/articles/mediastinum-1">mediastinum</a> pulling on the oesophageal wall</li>
Images Changes:

Image 9 Fluoroscopy (Oblique) ( create )

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