Aspiration pneumonia due to diffuse cervical hyperostosis

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis previously has been reported to cause a number of extraspinal manifestations including dysphagia, respiratory distress, dysphonia and cervical myelopathy. We report a case of cervical DISH so extensive as to interfere with the swallowing mechanism and lead to aspiration. Patients with DISH who have mechanical compression of the posterior pharynx may be at high risk for aspiration.