[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.