Surgical treatment of thoracic esophageal diverticula

Symptomatic pulsion or "true" diverticula of the lower and mid-esophagus (thoracic esophagus) are relatively rare. Associated motility disorders occur in most patients with epi-phrenic diverticula. These functional and obstructive disturbances should be looked for, diagnosed and treated. Surgical intervention such as diverticulectomy might prevent respiratory and nutritional complications and give significant relief of symptoms. We describe our experience in the surgical treatment of a 67-year-old man and 2 women, aged 69 and 73, respectively, with symptomatic thoracic diverticula.