Cricopharyngeal Myotomy: Surgical Technique
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2025-03-03
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Open Access Atlas of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Operative Surgery
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
Cricopharyngeal dysfunction/achalasia may be primary or secondary. Primary achalasia refers to persistent spasm or failure of the cricopharyngeus to relax, where the pathology is confined to the muscle and there is no underlying neurologic or systemic cause. It may be idiopathic or be associated with intrinsic disorders of the muscle e.g. polymyositis, muscular dystrophy, and hypothyroidism. Cricopharyngeal spasm may be secondary to neurologic disorders e.g. poliomyelitis, oculopharyngeal dysphagia, stroke, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or diabetic neuropathy, myasthenia gravis, and peripheral neuropathies.
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Reference:
Fagan, J. 2025. Cricopharyngeal Myotomy: Surgical Technique. In Open Access Atlas of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Operative Surgery. J. Fagan, Ed.Cape Town, South Africa: University of Cape Town. 9. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43471 .