Esophageal diverticula: current classification and important complications

Esophageal diverticula, although often asymptomatic or discovered incidentally during the workup of unrelated symptoms, may serve as a sign to clinicians of an ongoing dysmotility process involving the esophagus, particularly in our aging population. As well, esophageal diverticula may lead to unexpected complications as a result of instrumentation such as endoscopy or nasogastric tube placement that may result in significant morbidity and mortality including esophageal perforation. This article discusses these topics in detail with special emphasis on radiologic diagnosis and information for clinicians for management and avoidance of potentially serious complications.