[Anesthesia for carbon dioxide laser surgery to correct Zenker's diverticulum]

Two 48- and 62-year-old men, the latter with a history of ischemic heart disease, underwent endoscopic carbon dioxide laser surgery to correct Zenker's diverticulum. We provided total intravenous anesthesia, taking into consideration the special requirements of laser surgery. The pathogenesis of Zenker's diverticulum, the most common type of esophageal diverticulum, is poorly understood and the treatment approach depends on size and overall patient status. Patients with Zenker's diverticulum need a thorough preoperative assessment with special attention to airway permeability and the degree of difficulty of intubation. Anesthesia should be maintained in a manner that provides the safest, most effective surgical conditions.