Progressive Dysphagia in Patient With Cervical Plate Complicated With Posterior Pharyngeal Wall Erosion

Abstract

A 58-year-old male patient with a history of Parkinson's disease and solitary cervical spinal sarcoma underwent corpectomy, a fusion of C3-C6 with cervical fixation plate placement, and stereotactic body radiation therapy, presented 18 months following surgery with dysphagia, concomitant with weakness, diplopia. The initial workup in cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed aerodigestive tract soft tissue enhancement. Dysphagia progressed during hospitalization, and the patient was intubated due to aspiration pneumonia and respiratory failure. Further evaluations with esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed posterior pharyngeal wall, upper cervical esophageal erosion, and the presence of a cervical fixation plate in the hypopharynx.