Flexible Endoscopic Zenker’s Diverticulotomy with an Articulating Bipolar Energy Sealer

Abstract

The surgical management of Zenker’s diverticula is performed through open or endoscopic approaches. The purpose of this report is to review our early experience with flexible endoscopic diverticulotomy with an articulating bipolar energy sealer for cricopharyngeal and diverticular wall division in a series of 5 patients where transoral rigid access was not possible. In addition to technical details, safety and efficacy data are included. The average diverticulum size was 2.5 cm. All patients reported symptom resolution, and there were no surgical complications. Liquid diet was initiated on postoperative day 1 for all patients and solids on day 11.8 ± 14.4 (mean ± SD) per protocol. Results demonstrate that treatment of Zenker’s diverticula can safely and successfully be performed with flexible endoscopic visualization and utilization of an articulating bipolar energy sealer to perform diverticulotomy in a population of patients where transoral diverticulotomy would not otherwise be feasible due to anatomic constraints. Early results support obtaining further experience to study this technology as an alternative to open surgery, especially when visualization and access are suboptimal with rigid endoscopy.