Frequency and etiology of midesophageal diverticula at barium esophagography

Midesophageal diverticula were identified at 8 of 218 (3.6%) esophagrams performed over a 3-year period in adult patients with no prior history of gastroesophageal surgery. All eight patients received a final diagnosis of esophageal dysmotility with secondary pulsion diverticula, and seven of eight (88%) patients had abnormal peristalsis noted during the esophagram. We conclude that most, if not all, midesophageal diverticula are pulsion in etiology, and the detection of a midesophageal diverticulum should prompt a careful search for underlying dysmotility.