[Zenker's diverticulum: election of surgical treatment and outcome. Case presentation]

Zenker's diverticulum is a protrusion of the pharyngeal mucosa through a weak area of the posterior wall. It is a rare disorder with an incidence in Mexico of ~0.04% of the population. Its pathophysiology is not yet completely understood. Treatment is surgical and is performed in case of complications. Clinic case: We present the case of a 67 year-old male patient without comorbidities. Symptoms appeared 15 months prior to admission with occasional dysphagia to solids and liquids, breathing difficulty at night, drooling, halitosis, 3 kg weight loss in 2 months, and adequate appetite. Diagnosis of Zenker's diverticulum was established by imaging method and endoscopy. A diverticulectomy with cricopharyngeal muscle myotomy was successfully performed. Liquid diet was started the third postoperative day and progressed without complications; the patient was discharged on the sixth postoperative day without complications. Follow-up at 1 year was successful without recurrence.

Minimally invasive procedures are useful in patients with comorbidities and for the short anesthesia time and hospitalization. Referring to our field of work, the open treatment is best to relieve symptoms rather than endoscopic procedures because the training for advanced endoscopic procedures is a problem due to lack of infrastructure and specialized personnel.