The Treatment of Cricopharyngeal Dysmotility with a Transmucosal Cricopharyngeal Myotomy Using the Potassium-Titanyl-Phosphate (KTP) Laser

Abstract

Cricopharyngeal dysfunction is a relatively uncommon disorder that is misunderstood by many physicians. Cricopharyngeal dysmotility is thought to indicate abnormal function in the upper esophageal or cricopharyngeal sphincter, the etiology of which is related to uncoordinated pharyngeal swallowing, achalasia, or a combination of these factors. Unfortunately, standard diagnostic tests do not consistently show that the cricopharyngeal sphincter malfunctions; so cricopharyngeal myotomy has been suggested as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool in the treatment of dysmotility. The current report reviews trends in the diagnosis and treatment of cricopharyngeal myotomy, including the results of cricopharyngeal myotomy using the potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser. A transmucosal cricopharyngeal myotomy with the KTP laser may be a viable alternative for patients with cricopharyngeal dysmotility compared with conventional techniques.