Dysphagia due to anterior cervical osteophytosis: case report.
Mateus Morais Aires, Gabriela Marie Fukumoto, Sarah Lima Ribeiro and 2 others
PMID 34932659WHAT IT FOUND
A 66-year-old man with dysphagia caused by large cervical bone spurs responded to conservative management.
Speech therapy using chin tuck maneuvers and diet texture modification resolved his swallowing issues, allowing him to avoid surgery and maintain safe eating for two years.
Key findings
01The patient presented with choking-type dysphagia for solids and nasal reflux, with FEES revealing bulging of the posterior hypopharynx and CT confirming anterior cervical osteophytes between C3 and C6, the largest measuring 12mm.
02Conservative treatment consisting of six weekly speech therapy sessions (focusing on diet texture, chin tuck maneuvers, and tongue strengthening) and omeprazole resulted in a satisfactory response, maintaining efficient swallowing with no complications over two years of follow-up.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a single case report, so the findings cannot be generalized to all patients with cervical osteophytes. The treatment combined speech therapy with omeprazole, so the specific contribution of the medication versus the therapy cannot be isolated. Follow-up was limited to two years, and the patient's diabetes and age may influence long-term outcomes. The study does not provide comparative data against surgical outcomes or other conservative protocols.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that conservative speech therapy will work for all patients with cervical osteophytes. This patient had a specific response to chin tuck maneuvers, but larger osteophytes or those causing airway obstruction may still require surgery. The success here was in one individual, not a proven general outcome.