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Papagaios Escondidos, uma Causa de Disfagia: Caso Clínico
Hidden Parrots, a Cause of Dysphagia: Case Report
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André S. Carvalho [andre.simoes.ca@gmail.com]
Serviço de Medicina Interna, Hospital Distrital da Figueira da Foz, Unidade Local de Saúde Baixo Mondego, Figueira da Foz, Portugal
Rua do Hospital, 3094-001 Figueira da Foz, Portugal
Abstract
Vertebral osteophytosis, higlhy prevalent after the age of 60, can reach significant dimensions and cause compression of adjacente structures to the spine, being one of the less described causes of dysphagia in the literature.
We report a case of an 89-year-old male admitted to the emergency department with delirium, right hemiparesis and dysphagia for solids and liquids since the day before. His medical history included squamous cell carcinoma of the shoulder, microvascular leukoencephalopathy and spondylarthrosis. He spontaneously recovered from motor and cognitive deficits but persisted with severe dysphagia during hospitalization. Upper digestive endoscopy revealed cervical esophageal bulging, highly suggestive of malignancy, which was not histologically confirmed. Cervical computed tomography (CT) imaging identified large cervical osteophytes, compressing and deforming the esophagus. Despite referral to Neurosurgery consultation, he died from complications related to aspiration pneumonia.
Cervical osteophytosis is a rare and underdiagnosed etiology of dysphagia, whose incidence is increasing as a result of population aging.
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