Surgery for Swallowing Disorders

Dysphagia describes difficulty with swallowing and is a symptom of many disorders and diseases of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus. Dysphagia has a profound effect on quality of life, and otolaryngologists play a valuable role in a multispecialty, team-based approach to dysphagia management. This chapter provides a fundamental knowledge base for the evaluation and surgical treatment of dysphagia, highlighting aspiration, cricopharyngeus muscle dysfunction, gastroesophageal reflux disease, obstructive esophageal pathology, cervical diverticula, and motility disorders.