Pharyngeal dysphagia caused by isolated myogen dystrophy of musculus cricopharyngeus

Five patients suffering from idiopathic cricopharyngeal dysfunction (without Zenker's diverticulum) were treated surgically. Together with cricopharyngeomyotomy biopsies were taken at the level of the cricopharyngeus. Histological, enzyme hystochemical and electronmicroscopic examinations were performed on all patients. In two cases the histology revealed myogen dystrophy (presence of necrosis, myophagocytosis, abnormal fiber structure, basophilic fibers, fibrosis, mild cellular reaction and predominancy of fiber type I). Since the complete patient evaluation (clinical features, electromyography, serum creatinin phosphokinase level, etc.) could rule out any general, muscle disorders, the cause of the idiopathic pharyngeal dysfunction must have been in these two cases an isolated myogen dystrophy of the cricopharyngeus.